O  PRINCETON,  N.  J.  <^^ 


Presented  by  Mr.  Samuel  Agnew  of  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


BV  110  .W53  1847 
Williston,  Seth,  1770-1851 
Five  discourses  on  the 
Sabbath 


F IV  E 

\th;: 
DISCOUESES  ON  tSe  SA:BBATH, 


IPIE^^AOmig©     .^'iP     lD)WIMiI=^IMg     SSTa     ITa 


SETH  WILLISTON,  D.  D. 

LATE  PASTOR  OP  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  THAT  PLACE. 


'Yet  ye  bring  more  wrath  upon  Israel  by  profaning  the  sabbath."— Nbhbuiah. 


NEW  HAVEN,  CONN. 
PUBUSHED  BY  WILLIAM  G.  HOOKER. 

1847. 


f^  The  first  edition  of  this  work,  published  by  Messrs.  E.  &  E.  Hosford, 
of  Albany,  in  the  year  1813,  is  now  out  of  print ;  and  probably  not  a  copy  can 
be  found  except  in  public  or  private  libraries. 

The  subscriber  having  obtained  leave  of  the  Author  to  publish  a  new  edition, 
and  having  employed  him  to  revise  the  work,  has  caused  it  to  be  stereotyped, 
with  a  view  of  furnishing  it  to  such  persons  as  wish  to  take  the  same  in  quan- 
tities, not  less  than  oiie  hundred  copies,  at  cost — that  it  may  be  circulated 
gratuitously,  by  those  who  are  able  and  willing  to  do  it,  or  at  a  small  profit 
by  those  who  purchase  for  sale. 

To  promote  the  better  observance  of  the  Lord's  Day,  rather  than  pecuniary 
advantage,  is  the  object  of  the  republication  of  this  very  valuable  work. 

W.  G.  HOOKER. 

New  Haven,  Conn.  1 
SepUvnber  1, 1847.  ) 


STEREOTYPED  BY  G.  M.  DAVISON, 
SARATOGA    SPRINGS. 


P  K  E  F  A  C  E 


These  Discourses  were  first  published  in  1813.  They  originated  in  a  request, 
made  to  the  author  by  persons  who  were  then  forming  associations  for  the  pur- 
pose of  suppressing  certain  prevalent  immoralities,  to  furnish  them  with  a  tract 
which  would  be  calculated  to  aid  them  in  making  a  stand  against  the  profana- 
tion of  the  sabbath;  which  was  one  of  those  immoralities  the  suppression  of 
which  they  felt  themselves  under  obligation  to  attempt.  Having  no  tract  in 
his  possession  adapted  to  this  exigence,  nor  knowing  where  such  a  one  could 
be  found,  he  concluded  to  attempt  to  prepare  one  himself  By  conversing  with 
some  of  those  friends  of  the  sabbath,  who  were  desirous  of  promoting  its  better 
observance,  he  learned  that  one  great  obstacle  to  their  success  arose  from  the 
different  sentiments  which  were  entertained,  even  among  beUevers  in  the  in- 
spiration of  the  scriptures,  on  the  subject  of  sabbath  sanctification  and  profa- 
nation, and  concerning  those  things  which  aught,  and  those  which  oitgM  7wt  to 
be  done  on  this  holy  day.  He  was  also  apprized  of  the  fact  that  among  pro- 
fessed Christians  there  were  some  who  held  the  sentiment,  that  the  New  Tes- 
tament dispensation  had  released  us  from  all  moral  obligation  to  keep  holy  the 
sabbath  day ;  leaving  us  at  liberty  to  observe  it  or  not,  as  we  should  see  fit. 

These  considerations  determined  the  author  of  this  work,  in  case  he  should 
write  a  tract  on  the  sanctification  of  the  sabbath,  to  make  this  his  plan  ;  to  spread 
out  before  his  readers  all  those  passages  which  he  should  find,  in  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments,  relating  to  the  subject  of  the  holy  sabbath ;  accompanying 
them  with  some  brief  explanatory  and  practical  remarks.  He  thought  that 
nothing  could  be  adapted  to  have  so  much  effect  on  a  Christian  community,  as 
to  hear  what  the  Lord  of  the  sabbath  himself  had  said  concerning  this  institu- 
tion. He  remembered  that  Christ  had  said,  "  The  words  that  I  speak  unto 
you,  they  are  spirit,  and  they  are  life.'" 

The  above  plan  was  adopted  and  the  work  entered  upon  without  any  inten- 
tion of  its  being  delivered  from  the  pulpit.  But  before  much  progress  was 
made  in  its  preparation,  it  was  determined  to  put  it  in  the  form  of  pulpit  dis- 
courses ;  for  which  a  common  text  was  selected  suitable  to  the  plan  of  the  work ; 
(and  which  it  is  acknowledged  might  have  been  equally  suitable  to  any  other 
series  of  discourses  undertaken  on  a  similar  plan.)  The  writer  found  it  diffi- 
cult to  bring  so  many  passages  of  scripture  into  view,  and  accompany  each 
passage  with  a  few  remarksj  and  yet  compress  his  work  into  the  small  compass 


"which  is  occupied  by  a  tract.  Instead  of  a  pamphlet,  which  was  all  that 
he  first  thought  of,  he  found  himself  unable  to  carrj'  out  his  plan  short  of  pro- 
ducing a  volume. 

If  this  work  has  already  exerted  any  good  influence  in  promoting  the  Sanctis 
fication  of  the  sabbath,  the  author  desires  to  be  thankful  that  it  was  ever  put 
into  his  heart  to  prepare  it.  And  should  its  republication,  at  this  interesting 
and  critical  period,  do  any  thing  to  further  the  piety  of  the  church  and  that  of  its 
offspring,  particularly  as  it  respects  a  more  exemplary  observance  of  the  Lord's 
day ;  and  should  it  afford  any  aid  to  those  men  who  are  worthily  employed  in 
seeking  to  convince  the  public  that  sabbath  desecration,  while  it  is  a  sin 
against  God,  is  at  the  same  time  destructive  of  our  national  prosperity,  the 
writer  will  feel  himself  laid  under  new  obligation  to  render  thanks  to  the  Fa- 
ther of  lights  from  whom  cometh  down  every  good  and  perfect  gift.  Will  not 
the  friends  of  the  sabbath  and  the  friends  of  God,  into  whose  hands  this  man- 
ual shall  come,  ask  Him  to  make  it  instrumental  of  doing  something  to  advance 
the  interests  of  His  kingdom,  when  he  who  wrote  it  shall  have  gone  to  his  long 
home  %  That  a  Divine  blessing  may  rest  on  all  who  shall  read  what  is  here 
written,  is  the  devout  wish  of 

THE  AUTHOR. 

Durham,  N,  Y.  Sept.  1845. 


DISCOURSES   ON  THE  SABBATH. 


FIRST  DISCOURSE. 

John  v.  39. 
Search  the  Scriptures. 


"The  scriptures,"  or,  as  it  is  literally,  the  writings^  do 
evidently  in  this  place  mean  those  holy  writings,  which  we 
call  the  word  of  God.  The  Old  Testament  scriptures  were 
written  before  the  coming  of  Christ.  To  these  he  repeatedly 
referred  for  the  proof  of  his  Messiahship,  and  of  his  doc- 
trines. Jesus  Christ  most  certainly  treated  these  writings  as 
being  the  inspired  word  of  God,  and  a  perfect  standard  of 
truth ;  by  which  every  thing  relating  to  him  and  his  king- 
dom, should  be  tried  and  determined.  The  holy  scriptures, 
including  both  Testaments,  make  a  rich  store-house,  from 
which  the  man  of  God  is  thoroughly  furnished  to  every 
good  work.  Here  he  may  learn  what  to  believe  about  God, 
his  law,  his  government,  and  his  grace.  Here  he  may  learn 
the  whole  of  his  duty,  both  towards  God,  his  fellow  men, 
and  himself  If  he  is  ever  at  a  loss  on  any  point,  let  him 
immediately  repair  to  these  divine  oracles,  and  he  will  here 
become  acquainted  with  the  decisions  of  Him  who  cannot 
err.  Let  him  studiously  and  prayerfully  search  the  scriptures, 
even  as  men  search  the  mines  for  silver,  and  as  they  dig 
for  hidden  treasures  ;  and  he  will  not  fail  to  find  instruction. 
This  passage  has  not  been  chosen  at  this  time,  with  a 
1* 


b  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

view  to  prove  the  divine  inspiration  of  the  scriptures;  or  to 
show  the  importance  of  reading  them ;  or  to  point  out  the 
manner  in  which  this  duty  should  be  performed,  though 
these  things  would  naturally  grow  out  of  the  text :  but  it  is 
my  design,  in  this  and  several  succeeding  discourses,  to 
comply  with  the  Savior's  command  which  is  before  us,  so 
far  as  it  relates  to  one  specific  point,  namely,  the  weekly 
sabbath.  By  going  through  the  Bible,  with  our  eye  fixed 
upon  this  one  point,  we  shall  be  likely  to  obtain  more  dis- 
tinct views  of  it,  than  we  should,  if  our  attention  were  divided 
among  a  variety  of  objects.  The  inspiration  of  the  scriptures 
will  be  taken  for  granted ;  and  the  importance  of  hearing 
what  God  himself  has  said  about  his  sabbath,  cannot  be 
disputed. 

Let  us,  my  hearers,  in  the  very  outset  of  these  discourses, 
feel  how  solemn  a  thing  it  is  to  come,  to  inquire  at  the 
oracles  of  the  living  God.  A  humble  and  a  solemn  frame 
of  mind  becomes  us  while  making  these  inquiries,  and  while 
we  listen  to  hear  what  God  the  Lord  shall  speak.  Let  it  be 
remembered,  that  we  are  come  to  inquire  on  a  very  practical 
subject.  If  the  Lord  has  made  a  sabbath,  he  has  made  it  to 
be  remembered,  and  to  be  kept  holy.  Therefore  let  us  hear 
the  will  of  God  with  an  obedient  ear. 

The  scheme  of  the  following  discourses  is,  to  search  the 
Bible  from  the  beginning  to  the  end,  to  see  what  the  sabbath 
is — what  it  is  to  sanctify  it,  and  what  it  is  to  profane  and 
pollute  it — and  to  become  acquainted  with  the  scripture 
history  of  the  sanctification,  and  profanation  of  the  sabbath, 
that  we  may  learn  how  different  are  the  feelings  of  the  divine 
Lawgiver  towards  such  as  sanctify,  and  such  as  profane  his 
holy  day :  that  we  may  also  discover  what  an  entirely  con- 
trary influence  these  different  ways  of  ^j  ending  the  sabbath 
have  on  the  cause  of  God  and  the  ]  )i  osperity  of  nations. 
None  of  those  ])assages,  which  are  coj.-idered  as  capable  of 
materially  aiding  us  in  these  inquine,^,  will  be  designedly 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  7 

passed  over.  After  a  new  text  on  the  subject  is  introduced, 
it  is  proposed  to  make  such  remarks  and  practical  observa- 
tions, as  are  suggested  by  it ;  and  then  proceed  to  the  next 
in  order. 

Without  any  further  introductory  remarks,  I  enter  on 
my  proposed  plan,  attended,  as  I  hope,  by  your  fervent 
prayers,  that  both  the  preacher  and  his  hearers  may  be  led 
into  the  truth ;  and  that  through  the  truth  we  may  be 
sanctified. 

The  first  information  which  we  have  about  the  weekly 
sabbath  is  Gen.  ii.  2,  3. 

And  on  the  seventh  day  God  ended  his  work  which  he 
had  made  :  and  he  rested  on  the  seventh  day  from  all  his 
work  which  he  had  made.  And  God  blessed  the  seventh 
day  and  sanctified  it ;  because  that  in  it  he  had  rested 
from  all  his  work  which  God  created  and  made. 

On  this  passage  it  may  be  observed,  1.  That  the  weekly 
sabbath  is  not  a  human  institution.  It  was  God,  the  Crea- 
tor of  the  world,  who  instituted  it.  2.  He  gave  a  sanction 
to  the  institution  by  his  own  example.  Six  days  did  the 
Creator  work  ;  but  on  the  seveiilh  day  he  rested  from  all 
his  work.  3.  The  weekly  sabbath  is  a  very  early  institu- 
tion. It  Avas  appointed,  and  observed  the  very  first  week 
of  time.  It  is  no  part  of  the  law  of  ceremonies,  which  law 
was  occasioned  by  the  entrance  of  sin ;  for  the  sabbath  was 
established  before  sin  had  entered,  and  would  have  been 
obligatory  on  Adam  and  his  offspring  if  sin  had  not  been 
known  among  them.  Therefore  the  abolition  of  the  law  of 
ceremonies  does  not  affect  the  weekly  sabbath,  though  it 
does  away  those  sabbatical  institutions,  which  originated 
with  the  ceremonial  law.  These  sabbaths,  which  were 
purely  Jewish^  in  their  original,  must  have  been  the  sabbaths 


8  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

referred  to  by  the  apostle  in  his  epistle  to  the  Galatians, 
chap.  iv.  10,  11:  "  Ye  observe  days,  and  months,  and  times, 
and  years.  I  am  afraid  of  you,  lest  I  have  bestowed  upon 
you  labor  in  vain."  This  distinction  between  days,  made 
by  the  ceremonial  law,  must  have  been  what  he  had  in  view, 
Rom.  xiv.  5,  6.  "  One  man  esteemeth  one  day  above 
another ;  another  esteemeth  every  day  alike."* 

On  the  passage  before  us  we  proceed  to  observe,  4.  That 
God  did  two  things  to  the  sabbath,  to  distinguish  it  from  the 
other  days  of  the  week  ;  1st.  He  sanctified  it ;  and  2dly.  He 
blessed  it.  The  Lord  has  made  the  sabbath  a  holy  day ; 
and  when  we  keep  it  holy  to  the  Lord,  he  makes  it  a  day  of 
blessings  i.  e.  a  day  in  which  he  will,  in  a  peculiar  sense, 
meet  with  us  and  bless  us,  and  cause  the  sanctified  day  to 
be  very  useful  to  our  best,  our  immortal  interests. 

Objection.  But  how  can  time  be  sayictified  7  how  can  a 
day  be  holy?  Ans.  1st.  It  is  the  language  which  God  him- 
self uses,  and  therefore  cannot. be  foolish.  2ndly.  No  one 
supposes  that  time  itself  is  capable  of  holy  affections  :  nor 
does  the  holiness  of  the  sabbath  consist  in  our  having  holy 
affections  on  that  day.  Such  affections  we  are  required  to 
have  every  day  in  the  week ;  and  such  affections  Adam  and 
Eve  had  continually  until  they  fell ;  but  even  then  they 
were  required  to  sanctify  the  seventh  day,  in  distinction 
from  the  other  days.  Holy  affections  are  implied  in  an 
acceptable  sanctification  of  the  sabbath  ;  but  this  is  not  all. 
We  answer,  3dly.  The  holiness  of  time  consists  in  its  being 
separated  from  secular  business  and  worldly  concerns  to  the 
hnmediate  service  of  God.  The  temple  was  called  a  holy 
place,  because,  in  distinction  from  other  houses,  it  was  the 
Lord^s  house  ;  it  was  the  house  of  prayer.  It  was  profaned 
by  being  made  a  house  of  7nerchandise,  as  well  as  by  being 

*  Something  more  may  be  seen  on  these  passages  in  a  note  connected  with 
the  Fourth  Discourse. 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  9 

made  a  den  of  thieves.  In  the  same  sense  in  which  the 
temple  was  a  holy  place,  the  sabbath  is  a  holy  day, — a  day 
separated  from  the  business  and  avocations  of  this  \i[e,  to  the 
service  of  God  in  devotional  exercises  and  religious  duties. 

ExoD.  xvi.  22—30. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  that  on  the  sixth  day  they  gathered 
twice  as  much  bread,  tvw  omersfor  one  man :  and  all  the 
riders  of  the  congregation  cam,e  and  told  Moses.  And  he 
said  unto  them,  This  is  that  which  the  Lord  hath  said, 
To-m^orrow  is  the  rest  of  the  holy  sabbath  unto  the  Lord  ; 
bake  that  which  ye  will  bake  to-day,  and  seethe  that  ye  will 
seethe;  and  that  which  rem^aineth  over  lay  up  for  you  to  be 
kept  until  the  morning.  And  they  laid  it  up  till  the  morn- 
ing, as  Moses  bade,  and  it  did  yiot  stink,  neither  was  there 
any  worm,  therein.  And  Moses  said.  Eat  that  to-day  ;  for 
to-d.ay  is  a  sabbath  unto  the  Lord  :  to-day  ye  shall  not  find 
it  in  the  field.  iSia;  days  ye  shall  gather  it ;  but  on  the 
seventh  day  which  is  the  sabbath,  in  it  there  shall  be  none. 
And  it  came  to  pass  that  there  went  out  some  of  the  people 
on  the  seventh  day  for  to  gather,  and  they  found  none.  And 
the  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  How  long  refuse  ye  to  keep  my 
comm,and?nejits  and  my  laws  ?  See,  for  that  the  Lord 
hath  given  you  the  sabbath,  therefore  he  giveth  you  on  the 
sixth  day  the  bread  of  two  days:  abide  ye  every  m.an  in 
his  place  ;  let  no  man  go  out  of  his  place  on  the  seventh 
day.     So  the  people  rested  on  the  seventh  day. 

On  this  passage  we  observe,  1.  That  the  apostasy  has  not 
done  away  the  obligation  to  sanctify  the  weekly  sabbath. 
The  same  hallowed  day,  of  which  we  read  before  the  fall  of 
man,  we  here  find  again ;  and  it  still  remains  a  holy  day. 
2.  From  this  passage  we  learn,  that  it  is  our  duty  to  remember 
during  the  week,  that  the  sabbath  is  coming,  and  be  so  pre- 
pared  for  it,  as  not  to  be  obliged  to  earn,  or  look  up,  or  be 


10  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

engaged  in  any  great  labor  in  preparing  our  food  on  this 
day.  The  portion  of  the  manna,  which  was  to  be  the  food 
of  the  sabbath,  they  were  directed  to  gather,  and  bake,  or 
seethe,  on  the  day  which  preceded  it.  It  is  lawful  to  eat  on 
the  sabbath  as  we  do  on  other  days  ;  but  not  to  gather. 
3.  The  Lord's  great  concern  for  his  holy  day  was  strikingly 
manifested  by  his  giving  a  double  portion  of  the  manna  on 
the  preceding  day,  and  withholding  it  on  that  day ;  and  by 
his  preserving  that  which  was  laid  up  the  day  before  from 
breeding  worms  and  becoming  loathsome,  as  it  did  when  it 
was  at  other  times  kept  over  night.  4.  We  are  taught  by 
this  portion  of  scripture,  that  we  need  not  be  afraid  of  being 
impoverished  by  a  holy  resting  one  day  every  week.  See^ 
for  that  the  Lord  hath  given  you  the  sabbath,  therefore  he 
giveih  you  on  the  sixth  day  the  bread  of  two  days.  Let  it 
never  be  forgotten,  that  it  is  the  LORD  who  has  given  us 
the  sabbath.  And  let  it  be  remembered,  that  it  is  the  same 
Lord  that  gives  us  our  bread,  and  who  supplies  all  our  needs. 
We  may  therefore  rest  assured,  that  six  days  in  the  week 
are  sufficient  to  procure  the  bread  oi  seven.  To  disbelieve 
this,  is  to  deny  the  providence  of  the  Lord  of  the  sabbath, 
and  is  deeply  tinctured  with  atheism.  5.  We  see  that  men 
are  prone  to  seek  gain  on  the  sabbath-day  by  doing  the  work 
of  the  week,  notwithstanding  they  may  have  been  strictly 
cautioned  against  it.  Some  of  the  people  went  out  on  the 
seventh  day  to  gather.  The  Lord  was  greatly  displeased 
with  the  disobedient  and  covetous  spirit  which  they  mani- 
fested. "  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  How  long  refuse 
ye  to  keep  my  commandments  and  my  laws  ?" 

Let  us  now  turn  our  attention  to  the  4th  commandment. 
It  is  contained  in  Exod.  xx.  8 — 11. 

Remember  the  sabbath  day^  to  keep  it  holy.  Six  days 
shalt  thou  labor,  and  do  all  thy  loork :  but  the  seventh  day 
is  the  sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy  God :  in  it  thou  shalt  not 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  11 

do  any  work^  thou^  nor  thy  so7i,  nor  thy  daughter,  thy  man 
servant,  nor  thy  maid  servant,  nor  thy  cattle,  nor  thy  stran- 
ger that  is  within  thy  gates  :  For  in  six  days  the  Lord 
m^ade  heaven  and  earth,  the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is, 
and  rested  the  seventh  day :  wherefore  the  Lord  blessed 
the  sabbath-day,  atid  hallowed  it. 

Observe,  L  The  weekly  sabbath  is  placed  among  the  ten 
commandments,  which  are  a  summary  of  the  moral  law. 
In  this  respect  it  is  honored  above  the  sabbatical  years ;  or 
the  three  annual  feasts,  the  new  moons,  and  such  like  institu- 
tions. These  commandments  were  written  with  the  finger 
of  God  on  tables  of  stone,  to  denote  their  preciousness,  im- 
portance, and  durableness.  It  shewed  that  these  command- 
ments were  to  last  to  the  end,  without  waxing  old  and  van- 
ishing away.  The  command,  to  sanctify  one  day  in  the 
week,  has  the  same  honorable  place,  as  the  command,  to 
worship  Jehovah  alone;  or  as  the  command,  to  honor  our 
parents,  and  the  command,  to  do  no  murder. 

Objection.  It  cannot  in  itself  be  wrong  to  work  on  one 
day,  more  than  to  work  on  another ;  therefore  the  require- 
ment to  keep  holy  one  particular  day  in  the  week,  cannot 
be  of  a  moral  nature. 

Let  tlie  objector  remember,  that  the  other  nine  commands 
of  the  decalogue  are  evidently  of  a  moral  nature,  and  this, 
which  enjoins  the  observance  of  a  weekly  sabbath,  was 
placed  among  them  by  the  Divine  Lawgiver  himself:  neither 
ought  we  to  suppose,  that  it  was  an  oversight  in  him  to 
place  it  where  he  did.  He  who  lays  his  hand  on  the  sab- 
bath, to  drive  it  out  from  among  the  perpetually  binding 
laws  of  God,  let  him  beware  Avhat  he  does.  Let  him  review 
the  matter — let  him  not  think  that  in  this  he  is  doinsr  God 
service ! 

A  word  more  on  the  moral  nature  of  the  sabbath.  The 
first  commandment  teaches,  that  we  are  under  moral  and 


12  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH* 

indispensable  obligation  to  love  God  supremely.  The  second 
commandment  requires,  that  we  worship  him,  and  him  alone. 
If  it  is  our  duty  to  love  and  worship  our  Creator,  it  is  a 
matter  of  moral  obligation  to  take  some  time  from  other 
concerns  for  this  worship.  It  is  essential  to  a  godly  life, 
that  some  portion  of  time  every  day  should  be  redeemed 
from  secular  duties  for  the  duties  of  devotion :  and  the  all- 
wise  God  has  seen  that  it  was  absolutely  necessary  for  the 
best  good  of  the  human  race,  and  especially  for  the  promo- 
tion of  godliness,  that  one  day  in  seven  should  be  a  day  of 
worship.  The  obligation  to  keep  holy  the  sabbath,  is  as 
great  as  the  obligation  to  seek  the  preservation  and  advance- 
ment of  the  cause  of  true  religion  in  the  world. 

2.  You  notice,  that  the  commandment,  requiring  the  ob- 
servance of  the  sabbath,  is  introduced  with  a  caution  not  to 
forget  it — "  Remember  the  sabbath  day."  It  should  be  re- 
membered all  the  week,  that  after  so  many  days  the  sabbath 
will  return  again ;  and  we  should  feel  ourselves  bound  to 
shape  our  business  through  the  week,  so  as  to  be  in  the  best 
manner  prepared  for  its  return.  And  the  caution  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  commandment,  requires  us  to  know  when 
the  holy  day  has  returned,  and  to  conduct  ourselves  ac- 
cordingly. 

3.  In  looking  over  the  commandment  we  notice,  that  all 
our  work  must  be  done  in  the  six  days  before  the  sabbath. 
By  our  work,  is  not  meant  works  of  darkness  (which  are 
forbidden  on  all  days,)  but  secular  work,  pertaining  to  things 
of  this  life. 

4.  Notice,  On  the  sabbath  we  may  not  do  any  work,  that 
is,  any  kind  of  this  secular  business.  It  would  have  made 
the  commandment  too  long,  if  all  kinds  of  worldly  employ- 
ments had  been  particularized :  but  they  are  all  included — • 
they  are  all  forbidden  to  be  done  on  the  consecrated  day. 
"  Thou  shalt  not  do  any  work." 

5.  It  cannot  but  be  noticed,  that  the  commandment  binds 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  13 

US  to  use  all  our  tjifliience  and  authority^  to  preserve  the 
sabbath  from  being  profaned  by  others.  If  we  have  sons 
and  daughters,  men-servants  and  maid-servants,  horses,  or 
cattle,  we  are  required  to  see  to  it,  that  the  sabbath  is  not 
profaned  by  any  of  them.  This  forbids  us  even  to  let  a 
horse  or  carriage  on  the  Lord's  day :  or  to  that  man,  who, 
in  opposition  to  the  commandment,  we  know  designs  on 
that  day  to  pursue  his  journey.  Let  our  rulers,  the  fathers 
of  the  country,  inquire  whether  they  are  not  bound  by  the 
commandment  to  exert  themselves,  not  only  to  keep  holy 
the  sabbath  themselves,  but  also  to  see  to  it,  that  all  the  in- 
habitants of  the  land,  and  the  strangers,  who  sojourn  among 
us,  are  not  suffered  so  greatly  to  pollute  it  with  impunity.* 

6.  This  commandment  seems  to  imply,  that  keeping  holy 
the  seventh  day  was  an  acknowledgment  of  God,  as  the 
Creator  of  the  world ;  and,  of  consequence,  that  the  refusing 
to  keep  it  holy,  would  be  a  denial  of  the  God  who  is  above. 
Let  this  thought  weigh  on  all  our  minds.  When  we  con- 
duct as  though  there  was  no  weekly  sabbath,  we  conduct 
as  though  there  was  no  God — no  Creator  of  the  world. 

ExoD.  xxiii.  12. 

ISix  days  shalt  thou  do  thy  work^  and  on  the  seventh  day 
thou  shalt  rest :  that  thine  ox  and  thine  ass  may  rest,  and 
the  son  of  thy  handinaid,  and  the  stranger  may  he  re- 
freshed. 

From  this  passage  it  appears,  that  one  design  of  the  sab- 
bath is  to  give  all  an  opportunity  to  rest  from  hard  and 

*  Magistrates  are  to  be  a  terror  to  evil-doers.  They  ought  to  be  a  terror  not 
only  to  murderers,  thieves  and  forgers ;  but  also  to  adulterers,  drunkards  and 
profane  svs^earers.  So  ought  they  to  be  a  terror  to  sahhatK-hredkers.  Profaning 
the  sabbath  is  not  only  an  impiety,  but  also  an  immorality.  It  manifestly  has 
a  demoralizing  effect  on  society,  like  profane  oaths,  intemperate  drinking  and 
gambling. 


14  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

fatiguing  labor.  This  reason  is  also  assigned  where  the 
command  is  repeated  in  Deuteronomy.  The  benevolent 
Creator  pleads  the  cause  of  the  servant,  and  even  of  the 
dumb  beast.  He  commands  that  we  let  them  rest  from  their 
labor.  In  this  connexion  let  me  suggest  this  query :  Is  it 
consistent  with  the  Creator's  design  in  appointing  the  day 
of  rest,  to  keep  servants  all  day  employed  in  cookery,  and 
in  waiting  on  visiting  companies  and  parties  of  pleasure  ? 
Not  to  ask  in  this  place,  whether  such  parties  of  pleasure  are 
consistent  with  keeping  the  day  holy  to  the  Lord? 

Let  me  further  ask,  whether  this  design  of  the  command, 
does  not  clearly  forbid  the  teamster  to  proceed  on  his  journey 
on  the  holy  day.  If  there  is  ever  a  time  when  the  ox  and 
the  ass  (or  the  horse)  need  this  rest  which  our  common 
Creator  has  provided  for  them,  it  is  when  they  are  from  day 
to  day,  through  the  whole  week,  employed  on  the  road  in 
drawing  us,  or  our  cumbersome  loads.  It  ought  not  to  be 
forgotten,  that  these  creatures  have  another  Owner  beside 
us.  We  have  no  right  to  use  them  without  His  leave;  and 
He  has  not  given  us  leave  to  use  them  in  this  manner  on 
the  sacred  day  of  rest. 

But  it  will  by  some  be  objected :  "  Then  you  have  no 
right  to  use  them  to  go  to  the  place  of  worship."  To  this 
it  may  be  replied  :  That  we  have  a  right  to  use  them,  if 
they  are  needed,  wherever  we  have  a  right  to  go  ourselves. 
If  we  have  a  right,  in  an  extreme  case,  to  go  for  a  physician 
twenty,  or  even  forty  miles  on  the  sabbath,  we  have  a  right 
to  make  use  of  a  horse  to  carry  us  this  distance.  So,  if  we 
have  a  right  to  go  to  the  house  of  God  on  the  sabbath, 
(which  none  will  dispute)  we  have  a  right  to  ride  there,  if 
the  distance  be  such  as  to  make  this  necessary  or  more 
convenient. 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  15 

ExoD.  xxxi.  14 — 17. 
Ye  shall  keep  the  sabbath  therefore :  for  it  is  holy  unto 
you :  every  one  that  defileth  it  shall  surely  be  put  to  death : 
for  whosoever  doeth  any  work  therein^  that  sold  shall  be 
ctit  off  from  ainong  his  people.  Six  days  may  work  be 
done  ;  but  in  the  seventh  is  the  sabbath  of  rest^  holy  to  the 
Lord :  whosoever  doeth  any  work  in  the  sabbath  day^  he 
shall  surely  be  put  to  death.  Wherefore  the  children  of 
Israel  shall  keep  the  sabbath^  to  observe  the  sabbath 
throughout  their  generations,  for  a  perpetual  covenant. 
It  is  a  sign  between  me  and  the  children  of  Israel  for  ever: 
for  in  six  days  the  Lord  made  heaven  and  earthy  and  on 
the  seventh  day  he  rested,  and  was  refreshed. 

On  this  passage  I  would  remark,  1.  That  in  the  church 
of  Israel,  death  was  the  punishment  to  be  inflicted  on  the 
sabbath-breaker.  Every  crime  was  not  to  be  punished  with 
death ;  but  defiling  the  holy  day,  was  among  the  crimes  to 
be  thus  punished  by  divine  command.  Here  we  learn  how 
God  looks  on  the  breach  of  the  fourth  commandment.  It 
no  doubt  appears  as  ill-deserving  to  him  now  as  it  did  then. 
The  church  of  God  then  dwelt  alone,  and  had,  by  the  ex- 
press direction  of  heaven,  power  to  exercise  all  the  authority, 
which  is  now  termed  civil  and  ecclesiastical :  They  were 
therefore  to  inflict  corporal  punishments,  as  well  as  church 
censures  and  excommunications.  This  gave  opportunity 
for  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  to  show  his  feelings,  even  in  this 
world,  towards  the  man  who  defiled  his  sabbath. 

2.  We  notice  in  this  passage,  that  the  attention  of  every 
individual  is  called  np  to  the  dreadful  evil  of  profaning  the 
sabbath.  It  is  said,  "  Every  one  that  defileth  it  shall  surely 
be  put  to  death."  "  Whosoever  doeth  any  work  therein, 
that  soul  shall  be  cut  off"  from  amongst  his  people."  Let 
every  individual  man  and  wo??ian,  and  child,  throughout 
the  land,  remember  the  commandment  comes  to  him  and  to 


1ft  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

her.  Not  one  of  us  has  a  right  to  wait  for  the  nation  to 
hear  and  obey ;  God  speaks  to  each  one  of  us,  in  our  indi- 
vidual capacity. 

3.  In  this  passage,  the  sabbath  is  said  to  be  a  sign  between 
the  Lord  and  the  children  of  Israel.  A  strict,  conscientious, 
and  spiritual  observance  of  the  weekly  sabbath,  is  through- 
out all  generations  one  of  the  distinguishing  marks  of  a  true 
Israelite.  It  is  one  of  those  ways,  in  which  the  pious  cheer- 
fully acknowledge  the  Lord  as  their  God. 

Some  have  thought,  that  because  the  sabbath  is  said  to  be 
a  sign  between  God  and  Israel^  that  the  obligation  to  keep 
it  is  not  binding  on  us  Gentiles.  But  as  well  may  it  be 
said,  that  because  a  holy  life  is  that  by  which  God's  people 
are  distinguished  from  others,  therefore  they  alone  are  re- 
quired to  be  holy. 

ExoD.  xxxiv.  21. 

Six  days  shalt  thou  work,  hut  on  the  seventh  day  thou 
shalt  rest :  in  earing-time  and  in  harvest  thou  shalt  rest. 

The  requirement  to  observe  the  sabbath  in  earing-time 
and  in  harvest,  serves  to  give  a  clear  idea  how  extensive 
the  command  is.  It  shows,  that  the  obligation  to  regard 
the  sabbath,  runs  through  all  the  seasons  of  the  year.  It  is 
not  a  duty  confined  to  the  winter  when  our  harvests  are  all 
gathered  in;  but  is  binding  in  the  summer,  and  even  in 
harvest,  the  most  hurrying  part  of  the  summer. 

Let  those  who  think  it  is  lawful  to  travel  on  common 
journeys  on  the  sabbath-day,  seriously  examine  the  above 
passage.  Let  those  who  attend  upon  their  maple  orchards, 
and  upon  their  distilleries,  candidly  ask,  Avhether  the  com- 
mand to  rest  in  earing-time  and  harvest,  does  not  reach  their 
case,  and  oblige  them  to  rest.*     It  is  unreasonable  for  us  to 

*  When  this  treatise  was  written,  more  than  thirty  years  ago,  the  author  was 
grieved  with  a  practice,  which  he  knew  existed  to  some  extent,  of  working  at 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  ^  17 

require  that  the  Lawgiver  should  particularize  every  thing. 
We  may  fairly  reason  from  the  greater  to  the  less.  If  a 
more  pressing  and  important  work  is  forbidden  to  be  done 
on  the  sabbath,  then  certainly  a  less  important  and  necessary 
work  must  also  be  forbidden. 

ExoD.  XXXV.  2,  3. 

Sis  days  shall  work  he  done^  hut  on  the  seventh  day 
there  shall  be  to  you  an  holy  day^  a  sabbath  of  rest  to  the 
Lord :  whosoever  doeth  work  therein  shall  be  put  to  death. 
Ye  shall  kindle  no  fire  throughout  your  habitations  upon 
the  sabbath  day. 

All  that  is  new  in  this  text,  is  the  prohibition  to  kindle  a 
fire  on  the  sabbath-day.  To  understand  this  aright  has 
been  attended  with  some  difficulty.  Fire  is  needed  in  the 
winter  to  make  us  comfortable ;  and  the  sabbath  was  not 
made  to  destroy  our  health  and  comfort.  But  it  is  a  clear 
case,  that  all  those  fires  which  are  not  needed  to  render  us 
comfortable  through  the  sabbath,  should  not  be  kindled  on 
that  day.  If  it  be  ever  necessary,  that  furnaces,  brick-kilns, 
and  coal-pits,  should  continue  to  burn  during  the  sabbath, 
(on  the  necessity  of  which  I  shall  not  now  pretend  to 
decide)  still  it  must  be  wrong  to  kindle  such  fires  on  this 
holy  day.  If  it  is  right  for  mariners  at  sea  to  keep  under 
sail  on  the  Lord's  day,  still  I  cannot  think  that  it  is  right 
for  them  to  set  sail  and  leave  the  port  on  the  Lord's  day : 
nor  do  I  think  such  a  thing  will  be  practised  in  the  Millen- 
nium. If  in  that  period  ships  in  the  midst  of  the  sea,  where 
no  anchor  can  hold  them,  keep  on  their  course,  no  great 
work  will  be  undertaken  on  the  Lord's  day,  which  unex- 
pected events  do  not  render  necessary ;  but  the  day,  even 

the  distilling  business  on  the  Lord's  day.  He  is  now  constrained  to  say,  that 
in  his  opinion  the  whole  business  of  making  intoxicating  liquors  for  a  beverage, 
is  repugnant  to  the  best  interests  of  the  human  family. 

2* 


18  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

in  the  midst  of  the  sea,  will  be  distinguished  from  the  other 
days  of  the  week  as  holy  to  the  Lord.  Is  it  not  to  be  ex- 
pected in  that  day,  when  the  fear  of  God  will  be  before  the 
eyes  of  all,  that  steamboats,  packets,  and  coasters,  will  riot 
only  forbear  to  weigh  anchor  on  the  day  of  holy  rest,  but 
also,  when  sailing  up  and  down  the  rivers  and  along  the 
coast,  that  they  will  cast  anchor^  if  this  can  be  done ;  and 
so  rest  from  their  own  work,  and  engage  in  the  work  pecu- 
liar to  the  day,  even  if  they  cannot  go  on  shore  and  repair 
to  a  house  of  worship  ? 

Levit.  xix.  3. 
And  ye  shall  fear  every  man  his  mother  and  his  father^ 
and  keep  my  sabbaths ;  I  am  the  Lord  your  God. 

We  remark  in  this  passage,  that  a  filial  respect  to  parents, 
and  a  sanctification  of  the  Lord's  sabbaths,  are  commanded 
at  one  breath.  We  can  no  more  treat  our  Creator  with  re- 
spect, without  keeping  the  holy  sabbath,  than  we  can  honor 
our  father  and  mother,  without  obeying  their  commands. 
Parents,  God  has  told,  our  children  to  honor  us,  and  at  the 
same  time  has  told  us  to  honor  him  by  keeping  his  sabbaths  ; 
now  if  we  do  not  keep  holy  the  sabbath,  and  teach  and 
command  our  children  to  do  so.  ou^ht  we  to  expect  that  our 
children  will  honor  and  obey  us?  If  children  learn  to  treat 
their  Father  in  heaven  with  respect,  there  is  little  doubt  but 
that  they  will  respect  their  earthly  parents. 

Levit.  xxiii.  3. 

Six  days  shall  work  be  done,  but  the  seventh  day  is 
the  sabbath  of  rest,  an  holy  convocation ;  ye  shall  do  no 
work  therein :  it  is  the  sabbath  of  the  Lord  in  all  your 
dwelliiigs. 

This  passage  reflects  some  additional  light  on  the  com- 
mand enjoining  a  holy  sabbath.    We  notice,  1.  That  it 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  19 

teaches  that  the  sabbath  is  a  day  for  public  worship ;  for 
this  is  what  is  meant  by  its  being  an  holy  convocation. 
Convocation  is  a  meeting  together ;  and  a  holy  convocation 
is  a  meeting  together  for  holy  or  religious  purposes.  All 
other  convocations  or  meetings  on  the  sabbath,  are  a  great 
desecration  of  holy  time.  But  meeting  together  for  worship, 
and  for  religious  instruction,  is  perfectly  congenial  with  the 
spirit  of  the  command.  There  are  none  who  love  a  holy 
day^  but  that  love  a  holy  convocation  on  that  day.  And  it 
is  worthy  of  observation,  that  most  commonly  where  public 
worship  is  not  observed  on  the  sabbath,  there  the  day  itself 
is  not  regarded. 

2.  We  notice  that  the  sabbath  is  to  be  kept  holy  to  the 
Lord  in  all  our  dwellings.  It  was  not  only  to  be  observed 
by  those  who  were  around  the  tabernacle ;  or  those  who 
dwelt  in  the  holy  city ;  but  it  was  to  be  observed  through 
all  their  camps,  in  all  their  tents — through  all  their  cities, 
villages,  and  towns ;  and  in  all  their  houses.  During  those 
twenty-four  hours  which  the  Lord  challenges  as  his  day, 
the  time  is  holy ;  as  much  when  we  are  in  our  own  houses, 
as  when  we  are  in  the  house  of  the  Lord.  If  we  can  attend 
public  worship,  it  is  our  duty  to  do  it ;  but  if  this  be  imprac- 
ticable, still  the  day  should  be  kept  holy  to  the  Lord,  in  our 
dwellings.  And  if  we  do  attend  public  worship,  this  is  not 
all  the  holy  time  which  belongs  to  the  sabbath ;  the  other 
parts  of  the  day  belong  to  the  Lord,  as  well  as  this.  He 
who  keeps  holy  time  only  while  he  is  in  the  house  of  wor- 
ship, makes  the  sabbath  no  more  of  a  holy  day,  than  he 
makes  any  day  of  the  week  a  holy  day,  if  he  should  only 
happen  to  attend  on  some  public  and  religious  exercise  on 
such  day.  But  is  the  Lord's  day  no  more  holy  than  any 
day,  in  which  we  attend  on  a  lecture  or  a  funeral  ?  The 
minutes  which  we  spend  in  worship  on  a  week  day,  may 
be  termed  as  it  respects  us,  the  holy  parts  of  that  day  ;  but 
the  rest  of  the  day  is  common ;  and  even  these  portions  of 


20  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

the  day,  devoted  to  worship,  might  have  been  employed  in 
business,  and  other  portions  devoted  to  worship  instead  of 
them,  and  this  would  not  have  been  a  profanation  of  the 
time :  but  the  sabbath  is  all  of  it  holy  time,  whether  we  are 
immediately  engaged  in  worship,  or  not;  and  we  have  no 
right  to  substitute  other  time  in  its  stead. 

Levit.  xxvi.  2. 

Ye  shall  keep  my  sabbaths^  and  reverence  my  sanctu- 
ary:  I  am  the  Lord. 

We  find  this  command,  in  the  same  words,  in  another 
place  in  this  book.  Here  we  find  the  command  to  keep  the 
sabbath,  and  to  reverence  the  Lord's  sanctuary^  are  very 
properly  joined  together.  They  who  are  willing  the  Lord 
should  have  a  day  for  his  worship,  are  also  willing  that  he 
should  have  a  place  for  it.  And  it  is  uniformly  the  case, 
that  they  who  love  the  sabbath,  love  the  sanctuary.  If  in 
the  house  of  the  Lord,  humble  and  spiritual  prayers  are 
offered  to  him,  with  suitable  confessions  and  thanksgivings ; 
if  his  praises  are  sung,  hi#  word  read  and  explained  in  a 
right  manner,  all  who  delight  in  the  sabbath,  will  be  pleased 
to  be  present.  They  will  not  forsake  the  assembling  of 
themselves  together,  as  the  manner  of  some  is.  They  will 
say,  "  How  amiable  are  thy  tabernacles,  O  Lord  God  of 
hosts !"  They  who  come  to  the  sanctuary  to  exhibit  their 
costly  apparel,  to  see  their  friends,  and  contrive  parties  for 
the  ensuing  week ;  or  who  come  from  custom  ;  these  do  not 
reverence  the  sanctuary,  nor  keep  holy  the  day  of  the  Lord. 
That  man,  who  views  the  sabbath  as  a  day  holy  to  the 
Lord,  will  feel,  when  he  enters  the  place  of  worship,  the 
impression  of  the  patriarch,  "How  dreadful  is  this  place! 
this  is  none  other  but  the  house  of  God,  and  this  is  the  gate 
of  heaven." 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  21 

Verses  34,  35. 
Then  shall  the  land  enjoy  her  sabbaths,  as  long  as  it 
lieth  desolate,  and  ye  be  in  your  enemies^  land  ;  even  then 
shall  the  land  rest  and  enjoy  her  sabbaths.  As  long  as  it 
lieth  desolate  it  shall  rest :  because  it  did  not  rest  in  your 
sabbaths  when  ye  dwelt  upon  it. 

The  same  sentiment  is  repeated  a  few  verses  below. 
There  were  other  days,  and  even  years,  of  rest  enjoined  on 
the  church  of  Israel,  besides  the  weekly  sabbath :  but  this 
alone  was  placed  in  the  decalogue,  and  more  is  said  about 
this  than  about  the  others;  this  is  therefore  undoubtedly 
included  in  the  passage  before  us.  From  this  passage  we 
see  that  the  people  of  God  were  forewarned,  that  a  neglect 
of  the  sabbath  would  be  one  of  those  things  which  would 
provoke  the  Lord  to  give  them  up  into  the  hands  of  their 
enemies.  And  let  those  nations  who  know  that  the  Lord 
has  reserved  the  sabbath  as  a  day  holy  to  himself,  be  assured 
that  if  they  disregard  this  reasonable  institution  of  the  Su- 
preme Governor,  their  sin  will  find  them  out. 

Numb,  xv:  32 — 36. 
And  while  the  children  of  Israel  were  in  the  wilderness^ 
they  found  a  man  that  gathered  sticks  upon  the  sabbath- 
day.  And  they  that  found  him  gathering  sticks  brought 
him  unto  Moses  and  Aaron,  and  imto  all  the  congregation. 
And  they  put  him,  in  xoard,  because  it  was  not  declared 
what  shoidd  be  done  to  him.  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
Moses,  The  m,an  shall  be  surely  put  to  death ;  all  the 
congregation  shall  stone  him  with  stones  without  the  cam^p. 
And  all  the  congregation  brought  him  without  the  cam^p, 
and,  stoned  him  with  stones,  and  he  died ;  as  the  Lord 
coTnmanded  Moses. 

On  this  passage  it  may  be  remarked,  1.  That  this  breach 
of  the  sabbath  was  a  presumptuoics  sin.     It  seems  to  be 


22  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

introduced  as  an  example  of  the  sin  of  presumption,  which 
had  been  just  mentioned.  The  Lord  had  said  to  this  man, 
as  well  as  to  others,  "  Thou  shalt  not  do  any  work  on  the 
seventh  day ;"  and  the  man  knew  that  he  had  said  it.  But 
just  as  if  the  Lord  of  Hosts  were  not  worth  regarding,  he 
said,  I  will  do  some  work  on  the  sabbath-day.  Let  none  of 
us  plead  the  cause  of  this  transgressor,  since  the  Lord  him- 
self has  condemned  him.  It  makes  but  little  difference 
what  kind  of  work  we  do  on  the  sabbath,  whether  we 
gather  sticks  or  logs^  if  we  do  it  in  contempt  of  the  author- 
ity of  the  Most  High. 

2.  On  this  passage  we  are  led  to  remark,  that  God  has 
not  made  this  law  respecting  the  sabbath  as  a  scare-crow ; 
what  he  has  said,  he  will  stand  to.  When  he  sits  as  a 
Judge,  he  will  be  found  the  same,  as  when  he  acted  in  the 
capacity  of  a  Lawgiver.  He  had  said,  "  Six  days  may  work 
be  done,  but  in  the  seventh  is  the  sabbath  of  rest,  holy  to 
the  Lord :  whosoever  doeth  any  work  in  the  sabbath-day, 
he  shall  surely  be  put  to  death."  Now  a  case  had  occurred 
of  the  violation  of  the  command,  and  the  matter  w^as  refer- 
red to  the  Lord,  to  know  what  should  be  done  with  him 
who  had  violated  it.  "And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  The 
man  shall  surely  be  put  to  death." 

God  has  not  made  a  law  to  be  trifled  with.  He  did  not 
make  it  without  good  reason ;  and  there  is  the  same  reason 
for  maintaining  it,  which  there  was  for  making  it.  If  any 
should  think  that  the  Divine  Lawgiver  was  too  severe  in 
punishing  the  breach  of  the  sabbath  with  death,  let  them 
remember,  that  a  sorer  punishment  will  fall  on  sabbath- 
breakers  in  the  coming  world  ! 

3.  This  passage  may  admit  of  another  remark, — it  is  this : 
That  the  whole  community  should  set  their  faces  against 
those  who  profane  the  sabbath :  especially  may  it  be  ex- 
pected, that  "all  the  congregation"  of  the  Lord  will  unite 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  23 

in  disallowing,  and  publicly  manifesting  their  disallowance, 
of  the  profanation  of  holy  time. 

Numb,  xxviii.  9,  10. 

And  on  the  sahhath-day  tioo  lambs  of  the  first  year 
without  spot  J  and  tico  tenth  deals  of  flour  for  a  meat  offer- 
ing, mingled  icith  oil,  and  the  drink  offering  thereof ; 
This  is  the  burnt  offering  of  every  sabbath,  beside  the  con- 
tinual burnt  offerings  and  his  drink  offering. 

On  this  passage  we  note,  1.  That  there  are  some  religious 
duties  to  be  performed  every  day  in  the  week.  According 
to  divine  appointment,  there  was  to  be  a  morning  and  eve- 
ning sacrifice  every  day  in  the  year ;  and  the  peculiar  duties 
of  the  sabbath-day  were  not  to  supersede,  or  set  aside,  the 
continual  burnt  offering  and  his  drink  offering.  One  thing 
most  evidently  pointed  out  by  this  burnt  offering,  every 
morning  and  evening  through  the  year,  was  the  obligation 
lying  upon  us  all  to  offer  up  a  morning  and  evening  sacri- 
fice of  prayer  and  praise  on  the  sabbath,  and  also  on  all 
other  days. 

2.  It  is  worthy  of  notice  from  the  scripture  before  us,  that 
the  sabbath  is  to  be  a  day  of  extraordinary  devotions.  Be- 
sides the  common  religious  duties  of  every  day,  other 
reliofious  duties  are  to  be  added.  The  sabbath  indeed  is 
well  described  by  being  called,  a  day  of  religion  ;  as  the 
other  six  days  are  called  days  of  labor.  Closet  prayer, 
family  prayer,  reading  the  scriptures  and  books  of  piety, 
and  communicating  religious  instruction  to  our  households, 
and  speaking  of  the  things  of  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  together 
with  public  prayers  and  praises,  and  hearing  the  preached 
word ;  these,  and  such  like  duties,  should  be  the  busiiiess 
of  the  day  holy  to  the  Lord. 


24  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 


SECOND  DISCOURSE. 

John  v.  39. 
Search  the  Scriptures. 


In  obedience  to  this  command  of  the  Savior,  I  proceed  to 
the  examination  of  other  portions  of  scripture ;  especially  as 
it  relates  to  the  subject  of  the  holy  sabbath. 

Nehem.  ix.  13,  14. 

And  gavest  them  right  judgments  and  true  laws,  good 
statutes  and  comm^andments :  And  madest  known  unto 
them  thy  holy  sahhath,  and  commandedst  them  precepts^ 
statutes,  and  laws,  hy  the  hand  of  Moses  thy  servant. 

Note,  1.  The  holy  sabbath  is  instanced  as  one  of  those 
right  judgments,  true  laws,  and  good  statutes,  and  com- 
mandments, which  God  gave  to  Israel.  The  sabbath  ought 
ever  to  be  viewed  as  a  reasonable  and  good  command. 
There  are  few  commands  in  the  book  of  God,  which  are 
more  calculated  to  promote  the  good  of  society  here,  and  to 
prepare  for  glory  hereafter. 

Note,  2.  The  holy  sabbath  is  not  spoken  of  as  a  7iew  in- 
stitution, beginning  with  the  Sinai  covenant ;  or  confined  to 
the  people  of  Israel ;  but  this  day,  already  sanctified,  was 
m^ade  knovm  unto  them.  The  sabbath,  we  have  already 
seen,  was  instituted  as  soon  as  the  work  of  creation  was 
finished,  and  was  appointed  to  be  observed  by  Adam  and 
all  his  children.  But  by  departing  from  God,  the  holiness 
of  the  seventh  day  of  the  week  was  disregarded  and  for- 
gotten.    When  God  revived  true  religion  in  the  family  of 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  25 

Abraham,  he  revived  the  knowledge  of  the  holy,  blessed 
sabbath.  And  in  the  passage  before  us,  (which  is  a  part  of 
a  solemn  prayer  to  God,)  it  is  spoken  of  as  a  great  mercy 
shown  to  Israel,  that  they  were  made  acquainted  with  the 
holy  sabbath.  O  that  we  Americans  might  be  disposed 
with  united  voice,  to  thank  the  Lord  for  making  known  to 
us  his  holy  sabbath  ! 

Nehem.  X.  31. 

A7id  if  the  people  of  the  land  bring  ware  or  any  victuals 
on  the  sabbath-day  to  sell,  that  we  looidd  not  buy  it  of  them 
on  the  sabbath^  or  on  the  holy  day. • 

On  this  text  we  remark,  1.  That  the  commercial  inter- 
course, which  exists  among  men,  is  one  fruitful  cause  of  the 
profanation  of  the  sabbath.  The  Jev/s  might  carry  on  a 
commerce  with  the  heathen:  but  as  the  heathen  did  not 
observe  the  sabbath,  they  would  be  inclined  to  come  to 
market  on  that,  as  well  as  on  the  other  days  of  the  week. 
This  proved  a  snare  to  the  Jews,  as  is  evident  from  the 
scripture  now  before  us.  And  no  doubt  it  is  a  snare  to 
many  at  the  present  day,  who  seem  desirous  to  make  the 
sabbath  something  more  than  a  day  of  worldly  business. 

2.  From  the  text  before  us  we  learn,  that  when  we  cannot 
restrain  others  ixom.  the  profanation  of  holy  time,  we  should 
be  sure  and  restrain  ourselves.  The  Jews  were  now  in  a 
dependant  state,  and  they  were  surrounded  by  those  who 
did  not  regard  the  sabbath.  If  they  could  not  prevent  the 
heathen  from  bringing  their  ware  and  victuals  to  market, 
still  they  could  agree  together,  that  they  would  not  buy  it 
of  them  on  that  day.  If  others  will  profane  the  sabbath,  we 
must  see  to  it,  that  we  do  not  suffer  them  to  draw  us  into 
their  loose  and  pernicious  practices.  If  the  people  in  the 
country  will  carry  their  produce  to  market  on  the  sabbath, 
let  the  market  towns  not  encourage  this  practice.  If  I  can- 
3 


26  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.    - 

not  prevent  my  neighbor  from  proposing  to  make  a  bargain 
with  me  on  the  Lord's  day,  still  I  may  keep  myself  from 
manifesting  a  willingness  to  bargain  with  him  ;  and  so  keep 
from  helping  forward  the  profanation  of  the  day.  If  I  can- 
not prevent  m)^  neighbor  from  introducing  some  worldly 
topic  of  discourse,  unsuitable  for  the  sabbath,  still  I  may 
wave  it,  or  propose  a  topic  more  suitable  to  the  day.  If  you 
cannot  prevent  a  neighbor  from  calling  to  pay  you  a  visit 
on  the  Lord's  day,  you  can  certainly  keep  from  returning 
the  visit  on  that  day,  in  case  you  cannot  summon  up  courage 
to  tell  him  plainly,  that  you  do  not  wish  to  receive  or  pay 
visits  on  the  holy  sabbath.  It  Avould  no  doubt  be  highly 
proper  to  manifest  your  disapprobation  of  this  practice,  both 
by  words  and  actions. 

We  further  notice  in  this  text,  that  those  Jews,  who  seemed 
disposed  for  a  thorough  reformation,  agreed  not  to  buy  any 
wares  on  the  sabbath,  or  on  the  holy  day.  By  "  the  holy 
day"  here  spoken  of,  in  addition  to  the  sabbath,  we  are  to 
understand  any  one  of  those  holy  days  which  the  Lord  had 
commanded  them  to  observe ;  and  in  which  he  had  required 
them  to  refrain  from  servile  labor.  These  holy  days  are  not 
now  binding  on  us,  as  the  weekly  sabbath  is ;  but  the  days 
which  Ave  set  apart  for  fasting  and  thanksgiving  resemble 
them.  Our  Fasts  and  Thanksgivings  should  be  holy  to  the 
Lord.  In  them  we  should  refrain  from  buying  and  selling, 
and  that  business  of  this  life  which  we  lawfully  pursue  on 
other  days. 

Nehem.  xiii.  15—22. 

In  those  days  saw  I  in  Judah  so7?ie  treading  wine-jyresses 
on  the  sabbath,  and  bringing  Ifi  sheaves,  and  lading 
asses  ;  as  also  wine,  grapes,  an'  figs,  and  all  manner  of 
burdens,  which  tJ  nj  brought  i/no  Jerusalem  on  the  sab- 
bath-day; and  I  testified  against  them  i7i  the  day  wherein 
they  sold  victuals.     There  dwdl  men  of  Tyre  also  therein^ 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  27 

which  brought  Jish,  and  all  Ttianner  of  ware^  and  sold  07i 
the  sabbath  unto  the  children  of  Judah^  and  in  Jerusalem. 
Then  I  contended  with  the  nobles  of  Judah,  and  said  unto 
theni^  What  evil  thing  is  this  that  ye  do^  and  profane  the 
sabbath-day  ?  Did  not  your  fathers  thtis^  and  did  not  our 
God  bring  all  this  evil  wpon  us^  and  upon  this  city  1  yet 
ye  bring  more  ivrath  upon  Israel  by  jn^  of  ailing  the  sabbath. 
And  it  came  to  pass,  that  when  the  gates  of  Jerusalem 
began  to  be  dark  before  the  sabbath,  I  commanded  that  the 
gates  shoidd  be  shut,  and.  charged  that  they  shoidd  not  b. 
opened  till  cfter  the  sabbath:  and  some  of  my  servants  se, 
I  at  the  gates^  that  there  should  no  burden  be  brought  in 
on  the  sabbath  day.  So  the  7Jierchants  and  sellers  of  all 
kind  of  ivare,  lodged  without  Jerusalem  once  or  twice. 
Then  I  testified  against  them,  and  said  unto  them,  Why 
lodge  ye  about  the  wall?  if  ye  do  so  again,  I ivill  lay 
hands  on  you.  From  that  ti?ne  forth  came  they  no  more 
on  the  sabbath.  And  I  commanded  the  Levites  that  they 
should  cleaiise  themselves,  and  that  they  should  come  and 
keep  the  gates  to  sanctify  the  sabbath-day.  Ronember 
me,  O  7ny  God,  co7icerni7ig  this  also,  and  spare  me  ac- 
cording to  the  greatness  of  thy  mercy. 

In  this  portion  of  scripture  several  lessons  of  instruction 
relative  to  the  sabbath  are  taught : 

1.  That  some  of  those  to  whom'the  sabbath  is  made 
known,  and  even  some  who  profess  to  be  the  people  of  God, 
are  guilty  of  the  most  evident  breaches  of  it.  It  was  in 
Judah  that  some  were  seen  treading  wine-presses  on  the 
sabbath,  and  bringing  in  sheaves,  and  lading  asses,  and  at- 
tending to  other  secular  business.  The  command,  which 
they  had  said  they  would  obey,  required  that  in  the  sabbath 
they  should  not  do  any  work :  but  with  that  command  be- 
fore them,  they  were  doing  all  7nanner  of  work.  It  is  likely, 
however,  that  they  invented  some  excuse  for  it  all. 


28  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

2.  By  the  scripture  before  us  we  are  taught,  that,  in  Bible 
times,  no  distinction  was  made  between  bringing  into  market 
fish^  and  other  commodities,  on  the  sabbath-da)'-.  This  dis- 
tinction must  therefore  be  an  invention  of  modern  times. 
In  the  city  of  New- York,  and  in  other  cities,  and  sea-port 
towns,  it  is  not*  allowed  to  bring  in  flesh,  vegetables  and 
fruits,  on  the  Scibbath-day ;  but  in  these  places,  even  on  the 
morning  of  the  holy  day,  you  may  hear  the  horns  blow,  to 
call  you  to  the  fish  market.  Let  me  ask,  what  reason  can 
be  given  for  this  profanation  of  the  Lord's  day?  Cannot  the 
citizens  do  one  day  in  the  week  without  feasting  on  the  fish 
which  are  newly  caught?  If  it  should  be  said,  that  the  fish- 
ermen cannot  preserve  them  from  taking  hurt  through  the 
sabbath,  let  them  learn  then  not  to  catch  them  so  near  to  the 
time  of  the  drawing  on  of  this  well  known  day  of  rest.  Let 
them  remember  the  sabbath-day. 

3.  We  learn  from  the  passage  before  us,  that  those  who 
would  wish  to  reform  the  nation  with  respect  to  the  obser- 
vance of  the  sabbath,  may  have  occasion  to  contend  even 
with  the  leadinof  men  of  the  nation.  Nehemiah  "  contended 
with  the  nobles  of  Judah,  and  said,  what  evil  thing  is  this  ye 
do,  and  profane  the  sabbath-day  ?  "  It  is  important  to  labor 
with  them  on  this  point,  for  several  reasons.  First,  These, 
generally,  either  make  the  laws  of  the  nation,  or  administer 
justice.  They  are  therefore  to  be  a  terror  to  evil  doers. 
Secondly,  The  nobles,  or  chief  men,  are  very  apt  to  disre- 
gard the  sabbath  themselves :  Even  those  who  make  laws 
to  punish  others,  will  often  conduct  as  if  they  themselves 
were  above  the  law.  Their  bad  example  in  this  respect, 
has  a  most  pernicious  effect  on  the  community.  In  the 
ihi?'d  place,  It  is  peculiarly  important  that  the  rulers  and 
leading  men  of  the  nation  should  remember  to  keep  holy  the 
sabbath,  because  their  contempt  of  the  command  of  God 
peculiarly  exposes  the  nation  to  judgments.  David's  pride 
in  numbering  the  people,   brought  the  pestilence  on  his 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  29 

realm.  What  the  rulers  and  leading  men  of  the  nation  are, 
that  character  the  nation  is  considered  as  possessing.  And 
this  is  one  thing  which  gives  significancy  to  that  proverb, 
"  When  the  wicked  bear  rule  the  people  mourn." 

4.  By  the  passage  before  us  we  are  taught,  that  the  profa- 
nation of  the  sabbath  is  one  of  those  things  which  may  be 
expected  to  bring  down  God's  judgments.  '•'  Did  not  your 
fathers  thus,  and  did  not  our  God  bring  all  this  evil  upon 
us,  and  upon  this  city  ?  yet  ye  bring  more  wrath  upon 
Israel  by  profaning  the  sabbath."  On  infidel  minds,  it  is 
not  expected  this  will  have  any  weight.  But  to  those  who 
believe  the  scriptures  to  be  a  true  declaration  of  the  divine 
will,  must  not  this  record  appear  weighty?  It  is  here 
declared  that  God  brings  evil  on  the  nation  and  city — and 
this  evil  is  a  display  of  his  wrath.  And  here  his  wrath  is 
said  to  be  aroused  by  seeing  his  holy  day  trodden  under 
foot.  It  is  God  who  sends  the  evil ;  but  it  is  we  who  jiro- 
cure  it :  '•  Yet  ye  bring  more  wrath  upon  Israel  by  profaning 
the  sabbath."  Let  the  profaners  of  the  sabbath,  throughout 
this  American  Republic,  know,  that  they  are  bringing  more 
wrath  on  this  nation  by  their  contemptuous  disregard  of 
holy  time  I  The  nation  are  already  groaning  under  the  rod 
of  Heaven ;  and  will  ye  bring  more  wrath  upon  this  people 
by  profaning  the  sabbath  ? 

5.  From  the  passage  before  us  we  are  taught  how  it  be- 
hoves us  to  be  in  readiness  to  begin  the  sanctification  of  the 
sabbath,  at  its  very  commencement.  There  is  a  precise 
time  when  the  sabbath  begins  and  when  it  ends.  And  I 
can  see  no  reason  why  the  first  and  last  parts  of  the  holy 
day  are  not  as  sacred  as  the  middle  of  it.  It  is  pretty 
evident  that  the  sabbath  did  commence,  (if  it  does  not  now,) 
at  the  setting  of  the  sun.  Indeed,  according  to  the  Bible 
reckoning,  all  the  days  of  the  week  began  and  ended  at  this 
time.  If  this  original  method  of  reckoning  days  is  still  to 
be  observed  in  application  to  holy  time,  (and  I  cannot  dis- 

3* 


30  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

cover  that  the  Bible  has  pointed  out  any  other  method,)  then 
the  sabbath  is  still  to  be  sanctified  from  evening  to  evening, 
without  being  considered  as  a  part  of  two  days.* 

*  It  was  not  among  one  of  the  original  objects  of  the  author,  in  this  work, 
to  contend  with  those  who  differ  from  him  in  the  time  of  beginning  the  sab- 
bath. Neither  is  it  now  his  design  to  contend  with  them;  but  he  has 
endeavored  to  follow  where  the  scripture  has  led  him :  and  the  above  passage 
out  of  Nehemiah,  seemed  naturally  to  lead  him  to  say  something  upon  the 
importance  of  being  exact  in  beginning  to  sanctify  the  day  as  soon  as  it  com- 
menced. There  are  many  who  agree  with  the  author  of  these  discourses  in  a 
belief,  that  the  sabbath  begins  and  ends  at  the  setting  of  the  sun.  Certainly  it 
is  important  that  we,  who  believe  this,  should  be  taught  to  act  consistently  with 
our  belief,  by  giving  to  the  Lord  what  we  consider  as  the  beginning  of  the  day 
which  he  challenges  as  his  own.  To  stir  us  up  to  the  duty  of  sanctifying  the 
evening  which  precedes  the  day,  we  must  see  on  what  we  ground  our  belief 
that  this  is  a  part  of  holy  time. 

In  the  first  chapter  in  the  Bible  we  read,  "And  the  evening  and  the  morning 
were  the  first  day."  The  first  day  began  when  time  began  ;  and  time  began 
as  soon  as  any  thing  was  created.  But  the  creation  did  not  begin  with  light, 
but  with  darkness.  The  evening,  or  the  dark  part  of  the  twenty-four  hours, 
preceded,  and  the  morning,  or  the  light  part,  followed.  After  the  sun  was 
created  to  rule  the  day,  its  leaving  the  earth  by  setting  beyond  the  western 
horizon,  served  to  divide  between  the  days.  This  appears  by  Judg.  xiv.  18. 
Samson  put  forth  a  riddle  which  must  be  declared  within  the  seven  days  of  the 
feast.  "  And  the  men  of  the  city  said  to  him  on  the  seventh  day,  before  iJw  sun 
•went  down,  What  is  sweeter  than  honey  1  and  what  is  stronger  than  a  lion  T' 
This  was  as  much  as  to  say,  when  the  sun  went  down  the  day  would  end,  and 
it  would  be  too  late  to  expouxid  the  riddle.  The  setting,  or  ilie  rising  of  the 
sun,  is  the  most  natural  division  of  days ;  it  is  a  dividing  line  known  to  all, 
poor  as  well  as  rich — to  those  who  are  without  clocks  and  watches,  as  well  as 
to  those  who  have  them.  It  is  therefore  natural  to  suppose,  reasoning  a  pi-io7-i, 
that  the  Creator  would,  especially  on  account  of  the  holy  day,  fix  upon  one  or 
the  other  of  these,  either  the  rising  or  the  setting  of  the  sun,  as  the  time  of 
beginning  days.  It  is  pretty  evident  that  he  did  not  fix  on  the  rising  of  the 
sun,  but  on  its  going  down.  It  appears  this  was  the  line  which  separated 
between  the  sabbath  and  the  day  which  followed  it,  in  the  time  of  Christ ;  as 
we  infer  from  Mark  i.  32,  33 ;  "  And  at  even,  rvhe7i  the  sim  did  set,  they 
brought  unto  him  all  that  were  diseased,  and  them  that  were  possessed  with 
devils.  And  all  the  city  was  gathered  together  at  the  door."  From  the  con- 
nexion it  will  be  seen,  that  this  was  a  sabbath-day  which  is  here  spoken  of. 
It  will  also  be  remembered,  that  such  crowds  did  not  gather  around  the  Savior 
to  obtain  healing  on  the  sabbath-day.    The  Jews  even  thought  it  unlawful  for 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  31 

This  pious  governor  of  Judah,  whose  heart  was  greatly- 
set  upon  a  thorough  reformation,  noticed  that  if  the  market 
was  allowed  to  be  kept  up,  and  the  gates  of  the  city  kept 
open  until  sun-down,  the  beginning  of  the  holy  day  would 
be  exposed  to  profanation,  he  therefore  commanded,  the 
gates  of  Jerusalem  (which  it  will  be  remembered  was  sur- 
rounded by  mountains)  to  be  shut  by  that  time  the  gates 
began  to  be  darkened  by  the  shadow  of  the  mountains, 
before  the  sabbath.  Twilight  is  not  what  is  meant;  for 
then  it  would  have  been  said.  When  it  began  to  be  dark : 
but  now  it  is,  when  the  gates  of  Jerusalem  began  to  be 
dark.  The  sun  still  shone  on  the  hill  of  Zion.  which  was 
in  the  midst  of  the  city.  By  this  then  we  are  taught,  that 
it  is  sinful  to  order  business  so  as  just  to  get  out  of  the  mar- 
ket, the  merchant's  store,  the  justice's  court,  the  military 
review,  the  mill,  the  raising-bee,  or  the  social  visit,  at  the 

him  to  heal  those  diseased  persons,  which  naturally  fell  in  his  way.  But  at  the 
setting  of  the  sun,  they  al!  flocked  about  hun,  as  though  the  restraint  which 
had  been  imposed  was  now  taken  off.  So  late  as  this  then  it  appears,  that  the 
setting  of  the  sun  was  viewed  as  the  end  of  the  sabbath  :  and  the  Lord  of  the 
sabbath  himself  found  no  fault  with  them  on  this  account,  as  though  they  had 
been  guilty  of  an  innovation.  But  it  will  be  said.  Does  not  that  passage,  John 
XX.  19,  give  a  different  view  of  the  time  of  the  ending  of  the  day  1  "  Then 
the  same  day  at  evening,  being  the  first  day  of  the  week."  The  passage,  at 
first  reading,  seems  to  give  the  idea  that  this  evening  belonged  to  the  first  day 
of  the  week  ;  but  the  clause,  "  being  the  first  day  of  the  week,"  may  refer  to 
"  the  same  day,"  and  not  to  the  evening.  When  days  were  reckoned  from 
sun-down  to  sun-down,  still  the  evening  was  wont  to  be  named  in  connexion 
with  the  day  which  preceded  it.  By  comparing  Levit,  xxiii.  verse  27,  with 
verse  32,  it  appears  that  a  part  of  that  time  which  is  first  called  the  tenth  day, 
is  afterwards  called  the  ninth  day  at  even.  The  ninth  day  at  even  meant  the 
beginning  of  the  tenth  day. 

I  do  not  pretend  with  absolute  certainty  to  know,  that  Christ  did  not  change, 
not  only  the  day,  but  the  time  of  beginning  it.  But  if  he  did,  I  have  not  yet 
seen  sufficient  e\ddence  to  convince  me  of  it.  If  he  did,  I  do  not  know  what 
point  of  time  he  fixed  on  for  its  commencement.  But  in  this  matter  let  us  not 
censoriously  judge  one  another.  Let  all  who  regard  the  sabbath,  however  they 
may  differ  as  to  the  time  of  beginning  it,  unite  their  influence  to  promote  its 
sanctification. 


32.  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

moment  when  our  days  of  labor  end ;  and  so  be  obliged  to 
take  the  first  part  of  the  Lord^s  time,  to  return  to  our  homes. 
"  The  Lord  is  a  God  of  knowledge,  and  by  him  actions  are 
weighed."* 

6.  By  the  passage  before  us  we  are  taught  the  great 
importance  of  zeal  and  perseverance  in  a  reformer.  This 
best  of  governors  met  with  opposition :  but  it  did  not  dis- 
courage him.  He  did  not  say,  Nothing  can  be  done.  He 
did  not  bear  the  sword  in  vain.  He  was  a  terror  to  evil 
doers.  Whether  he  made  sabbath-breakers  love  the  sabbath 
or  not,  he  made  them  forbear  to  disturb  the  peace  of  Jerusa- 
lem. "From  that  time  forth  came  they  no  more  on  the 
sabbath." 

IsA.  Ivi.  2—7. 
Blessed  is  the  man  that  doeth  this,  and  the  son  of  man 
that  layeth  hold  on  it:  that  keepeth  the  sahbath  from  'pol- 
luting it,  and   keepeth   his  hand  from  doi?ig  any  eviL 
Neither  let  the  son  of  the  stranger,  that  hath  joined  hi??i- 

*  It  is  quite  a  question,  if  we  possessed  the  spirit  of  Neheniiah — if  we  had 
his  zeal  for  preserving  the  purity  of  the  sabbath,  whether  we  should  fix  upon 
the  preceding  day  for  such  business  or  recreation,  as  is  likely  to  intrude  itself 
into  holy  time.  Would  a  justice  of  the  peace,  with  the  spirit  of  this  refonrier, 
select  from  all  the  days  of  the  week  Saturday  in  the  afternoon,  to  appoint  his 
court  1  Would  the  military  officer,  with  the  same  spirit,  take  this  time  for 
that  military  review  which  might  be  as  well  attended  on  any  other  day  1  If 
we  all  felt  towards  the  sabbath  like  this  noble  governor,  would  that  afternoon 
in  the  week,  which  shuts  down  upon  holy  time,  be  the  most  frequently  taken 
to  do  those  jobs,  which  collect  such  numbers  as  cannot  be  easily  dispersed  in 
season  to  prevent  an  encroachment  upon  its  sacred  hours  1  Will  those  females, 
who  have  a  high  reverence  for  the  Lord's  day,  except  in  extraordinary  cases, 
take  the  afternoon  which  immediately  precedes  it,  for  a  visiting  party  1  If  in 
these  parties,  tlieir  conversation  should  be  a  suitable  preparation  for  the 
approaching  sabbath,  still  there  will  be  the  appearance  of  evil,  which  we  are 
commanded  to  avoid,  as  they  will  not  usually  be  able,  all  of  them,  to  reach 
their  homes,  until  after  the  sabbath  has  commenced.  In  this  point  of  view, 
the  remark  applies  with  force  only  to  those  who  believe  the  day  to  commence 
at  the  going  down  of  the  sun. 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  33 

self  to  the  Lord^  speak,  saying.  The  Lord  hath  utterly 
separated  me  from  his  people  :  neither  let  the  eunuch  say, 
Behold,  I  am  a  dry  tree.  For  thus  saith  the  Lord  unto 
the  eunuchs  that  keep  my  sabbaths,  and  choose  the  things 
that  please  me,  and  take  hold  of  my  covenant ;  even  unto 
them  will  I  give  in  inine  house  and  tvithin  my  walls  a 
jilace  and  a  name  better  than  of  sons  and  of  daughters : 
I  will  give  them  an  everlasting  name,  that  shall  not  be  cut 
off.  Also  the  sons  of  the  stranger,  that  join  themselves  to 
the  Lord,  to  serve  him,  and  to  love  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
to  be  his  servants,  every  one  that  keepeth  the  sabbath  from 
polluting  it,  and  taketh  hold  of  my  covenant ;  Even  them, 
loill  I  bring  to  my  holy  mountain,  and  make  them  joyful 
in  7ny  house  of  prayer :  their  burnt  offerings  and  their 
sacrifices  shall  be  accepted  upon  mine  altar ;  for  mine 
house  shall  be  called  an  house  of  prayer  for  all  people. 

1.  We  notice  that  taking  hold  of  God's  covenant,  and 
keeping  the  sabbath,  go  hand  in  hand.  If  the  son  of  the 
Stranger  becomes  joined  to  the  Lord,  he  is  expected  to  keep 
the  sabbath  from  polluting  it.  If  he  does  the  things  which 
please  God,  this  is  sure  to  be  one  of  them. 

2.  It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  keeping  the  sabbath  is  an 
important  part  of  the  obedience  of  the  Gentile  as  well  as 
Jewish  church.  The  passage  before  us  speaks  of  a  time, 
when  the  house  of  the  Lord  is  to  become  a  house  of  prayer 
for  all  people :  when  eunuchs  and  the  sons  of  the  stranger 
shall  have  a  place  in  the  church.  And  from  this  prediction 
we  learn  that  even  in  this  gospel  day,  the  sabbath  of  the 
Lord  is  to  be  greatly  reverenced.  Dr.  Scott,  commenting 
on  this  passage,  observes,  "  The  repeated  mention  of  keeping 
the  sabbath,  in  this  place,  which  evidently  gives  a  decided 
preference  to  spiritual  worship  and  holiness  of  life,  above  all 
external  observances,  and  refers  to  the  time  when  the  cere- 


34  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

menial    law   would    be    abrogated,   strongly   implies   the 
obligation  of  the  Christian  sabbath." 

IsA.  Iviii.  13,  14. 

If  thou  turn  away  thy  foot  from  the  sahhath,  from  doing 
thy  'pleasure  on  my  holy  day ;  and  call  the  sabbath  a 
delight,  the  holy  of  the  Lord  honorable  ;  and  shalt  honor 
him,  not  doing  thine  own  ways,  nor  finding  thine  own 
pleasure,  nor  speaking  thine  ovm  words :  Then  shalt  thou 
delight  thyself  in  the  Lord ;  and  Iivill  cause  thee  to  ride 
upon  the  high  places  of  the  earth,  and  feed  thee  with  the 
heritage  of  Jacob  thy  father :  for  the  m^outh  of  the  Lord 
hath  spoken  it. 

This  passage  reflects  much  light  upon  the  holy  sabbath. 

1.  It  points  out  three  ways  by  which  the  sabbath  is  trod- 
den under  foot,  or  encroached  upon. 

First.  By  doing  our  otvn  ivays.  Six  days  are  our  own, 
in  distinction  from  the  seventh,  which  the  Lord  calls  his 
day.  By  "  our  own  ways,"  in  the  place  before  us,  we  are 
to  understand  the  same  as  our  work,  our  business.  In  the 
commandment  it  is  said.  Six  days  shalt  thou  labor  and  do 
all  thy  work.  In  the  same  way  we  are  to  understand  "  our 
own,"  in  this  whole  passage  ;  not  as  necessarily  implying 
that  which  would  be  wrong  to  be  done  on  the  working 
days;  otherwise,  piety  would  lead  us  to  avoid  them  on 
other  days,  as  well  as  the  holy  day  of  the  Lord. 

The  second  way,  here  mentioned,  of  encroaching  on  the 
sabbath,  is  by  doing  or  finding  our  own  pleasure.  Pleas- 
ure, in  distinction  from  work,  is  recreation  or  amusement. 
Some  recreations  nre  vain  and  sinful  on  any  day ;  these 
must  of  course  be  forbidden  on  the  day  which  is  holy  to 
the  Lord.  Others,  when  under  due  regulations,  are  admis- 
sible on  the  week  days;  such  as  visiting  our  friends,  or 
riding  abroad  to  take  the  air,  please  our  eyes,  and  recreate 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  35 

our  minds  with  the  dehghtful  scenes  of  nature :  but  these 
also  are  forbidden  on  the  sabbath.  In  the  passage  before 
us,  the  laying  aside  of  our  amusements  and  recreations,  is 
enjoined  with  emphasis :  "  If  thou  turn  away  thy  foot — ■ 
from  doing  thy  pleasure  on  my  holy  day."  It  is  repeated 
in  the  same  verse — "nor  finding  thine  own  pleasure J^ 

It  is  said,  there  are  some  who  are  very  scrupulous  in  not 
doing  their  own  work,  who  think  it  perfectly  lawful  to  find 
their  own  pleasure^  or  recreation,  on  the  Lord's  holy  day. 
Do  not  such  resemble  the  teachers  in  the  time  of  our  Savior, 
who  made  a  mighty  difference  between  swearing  by  the 
temple^  and  by  the  gold  of  the  temple?  They  said,  Whoso- 
ever shall  swear  by  the  temple,  it  is  nothing :  but  whosoever 
shall  swear  by  the  gold  of  the  temple,  he  is  a  debtor.  So 
these  seem  to  say,  Whosoever  shall  labor  on  the  sabbath,  he 
is  an  infidel :  but  whosoever  shall  only  play  on  the  sabbath, 
he  is  a  good  Christian.  To  such  it  might  be  said,  Ye  fools 
and  blind,  for  whether  is  the  greater  offence,  to  siveat  away 
the  sabbath,  or  to  sport  it  away  ?  There  is  a  great  difference 
between  the  Lord's  holy  days^  and  men's  holidays.  The 
former  are  days  eminently  designed  to  prepare  us  for  heaven  ; 
the  latter  are  days  peculiarly  calculated  to  fit  us  for  hell. 
If  the  sabbath  is  considered  as  a  holiday^  a  day  of  pastime, 
instead  of  a  holy  day,  a  day  of  religion,  it  must  be,  instead 
of  the  best,  the  tvorst,  and  most  dangerous  day  in  the  week. 
It  would  seem,  that  the  devil  could  not  have  invented  a 
stratagem  more  calculated  to  impede  the  progress  of  the  Re- 
deemer's kingdom,  and  to  build  up  his  own,  than  this  trans- 
formation of  the  Lord's  consecrated  day,  into  a  day  of  sport. 
I  fear  there  are  some  parts  of  our  country,  where  even 
taverns  are  haunted  on  the  Lord's  day ;  where  games  are 
played,  and  horses  run  over  the  race-ground.  Others,  who 
would  be  ashamed  to  be  seen  in  these  crowds,  and  taken  up 
with  these  sports,  are  riding  out  for  their  pleasure ;  or  po- 
litely giving,  or  accepting,  invitations  to  dinners,  or  to  tea 


3&  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

parties.     If  such  are  not  down-right  infidels,  let  them  ask 
themselves,  Is  this  keeping  holy  the  sabbath-day  ? 

Thirdly.  Speaking  our  own  ivords,  is  an  encroachment 
on  the  sabbath.  After  being  told  that  we  must  not  find  our 
own  pleasure,  it  is  added,  "  nor  speaking  thine  own  words." 
We  may  talk  on  the  sabbath ;  but  it  must  be  such  talk  as 
belongs  to  a  day  holy  to  the  Lord : — It  must  not  be  vain ; 
it  must  not  even  be  secular.  Would  there  not  be  a  strange 
incongruity  in  the  command,  if  it  strictly  forbade  labor  and 
recreation,  but  allowed  us  to  talk  freely  about  them  both ; 
and  to  lay  out  all  the  business  and  recreations  of  the  week 
on  the  holy  sabbath  ? 

Some  in  quoting  this  passage,  have  added  another  clause, 
namely,  '  nor  thinking  thine  own  thoughts.'  This  is  not 
expressed  in  the  text ;  but  the  sentiment  is  just,  and  it  is 
easily  gathered  from  what  is  expressed.  Thoughts  about 
the  business  or  pleasures  of  the  week,  do,  when  they  are 
indulged,  pollute  the  sabbath  in  His  view,  from  whom  no 
thought  can  be  withholden. 

2.  From  this  important  portion  of  scripture,  we  not  only 
learn  what  we  must  not  do ;  but  also  what  we  must  do,  if 
we  would  keep  the  sabbath  in  such  a  manner,  as  to  please 
the  Lord  of  the  sabbath.  First.  We  must  call  the  sabbath 
a  delight.  The  sabbath,  a  day  sequestered  from  business, 
recreations,  and  worldly  discourse ;  and  consecrated  to  the 
worship  of  God,  and  spiritual  improvement,  is  a  striking 
emblem  of  heaven.  The  Lord  requires  that  we  love  this 
day,  considered  as  a  holy  day  ; — that  we  anticipate  it  with 
desire,  and  welcome  it  Avhen  it  arrives;  and  that  we  drop 
our  secular  business,  and  go  into,  and  continue  in,  its  holy 
services  with  great  delight.  Surely,  they  who  love  God, 
and  are  preparing  for  the  holy  of  holies,  "vv  ^11  call  the  sabbath 
a  delight.  Secondly.  We  are  here  rejuired  to  call  "the 
holy  of  the  Lord  honorable.^^  The  primitive  Christians 
called  the  Lord's  day,  "  The  day  of  heaven,"  and  "  The 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  37 

queen  of  days."  The  sabbath  is  a  standing  memorial,  that 
Jehovah  is  our  Creator  and  our  Redeemer.  It  becomes  us 
not  to  to  be  ashamed  of  the  day  which  our  Creator  has  sanc- 
tified and  blessed ;  and  which,  in  distinction  from  all  other 
days,  he  calls  his  own.  If  it  be  a  disgrace  for  us,  to  own 
ourselves  to  be  his  dependant  offspring,  and  to  be  in  need 
of  his  salvation,  then  we  may  well  be  ashamed  of  his  day. 
We  are  ashamed  of  it,  and  of  its  Author,  if  we  are  ashamed 
to  keep  it,  even  in  the  strictest  sense,  holy  to  the  Lord. 

We  are  not  only  to  call,  or  esteem,  the  holy  of  the  Lord 
honorable,  but  we  are  so  to  spend  it  as  to  "  honor  Him." 
The  sabbath  is  not  truly  sanctified  by  ever  so  strict  an  ob- 
servance of  it,  if  the  glory  of  God  is  not  regarded.  The 
religion  of  the  Bible  requires  that  the  ultimate  end  should 
always  be  to  glorify  God. 

Lastly.  From  the  portion  of  inspired  truth  before  us  we 
learn,  that  God  has  promised  great  good  to  those  who  truly 
sanctify  his  sabbaths.  "  I  will  cause  thee,  (i.  e.  on  condition 
of  delighting  in  the  sabbath  and  turning  away  from  every 
encroachment  upon  it,)  to  ride  upon  the  high  places  of  the 
earth,  and  feed  thee  with  the  heritage  of  Jacob  thy  father ; 
for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it."  A  regard  to  the 
sabbath  is  supposed  to  be  connected  with  obedience  to  the 
other  commands  of  God.  And  it  is  most  certain,  that  such 
a  regard  to  the  sabbath,  as  is  described  by  the  piopiicii;, 
will  be  attended  with  correspondent  obedience  to  other 
divine  requirements.  And  this  is  also  certain,  that  a  nation 
or  people  to  whom  God  has  made  known  his  holy  sabbath, 
cannot  expect  his  blessing,  if  they  lightly  esteem  and  dis- 
regard it. 

IsA.  Ixvi.  23. 
And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  from  one  neio  moon  to 
another.,  and  from  one  sabbath  to  another,  shall  all  flesh 
come  to  worship  before  m,e,  saith  the  Lord. 
4 


38  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

This  is  a  prediction  of  a  period  when  the  whole  family 
of  man,  which  is  here  denominated  all  fleshy  shall  become 
agreed  in  (what  of  all  other  things  is  the  most  important) 
their  religion  : 

1.  In  the  God  whom  they  shall  worship  :  "  All  flesh  shall 
come  to  worship  before  me,  saith  the  Lord."  To  be  agreed 
in  the  worship  of  Baal,  or  any  other  idol  god,  would  consti- 
tute an  unlovely  bond  of  union  :  but  to  be  agreed  in  the 
worship  of  Jehovah,  the  true  God,  must  be  a  most  desirable 
agreement. 

2.  They  will  be  agreed  not  only  in  the  object,  but  also  in 
the  times  of  their  worship :  for  "  from  one  new  moon  to 
another,  and  from  one  sabbath  to  another,"  they  will  come 
to  worship  before  the  Lord.  This  implies  the  existence  of 
public  and  stated  worship  at  the  period  foretold.  The  sab- 
bath spoken  of  is  doubtless  that  which  was  instituted  at  the 
beginning  of  time,  and  which  was  incorporated  in  the  moral 
law;  while  the  neio  moons  (this  is  Old  Testament  lan- 
guage for  New  Testament  worship)  may  intend  all  the  other 
seasons  of  holy  convocation,  whether  monthly  or  not, 
which  should  be  observed  by  the  church  under  the  gospel 
dispensation. 

3.  When  mankind  shall  agree  in  the  object  of  their  wor- 
ship, and  the  times  for  its  performance,  they  will  also  be 
agreed  as  to  their  constancy  in  the  observance  of  those  times. 
Then  "from  one  new  moon  to  another,  and//-om  one  sab- 
bath to  another^  shall  all  flesh  come  to  worship  before  me, 
saith  the  Lord."  This  implies  something  more  than  an  oc- 
casional attendance  on  the  worship  of  the  sanctuary.  At 
the  present  period  it  is  but  a  minority  in  Christian  countries, 
and  perhaps  in  the  church  itself,  who  make  a  point  of  ap- 
pearing in  the  house  of  the  Lord  every  sabbath-day ;  but  in 
the  time  which  is  here  foretold  it  will  be  entirely  common. 
This  will  be  a  comely  sight  indeed,  when  all  flesh  shall 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  39 

come  to  worship  before  the  Lord  from   one  sahhath   to 
another  through  the  whole  year. 

As  tlie  rehgion  of  the  Bible  spreads  in  the  world,  this 
prediction  comes  nearer  to  a  complete  fulfilment.  Where 
Christian  missionaries  prove  successful  in  turning  heathen 
nations  from  idolatry  to  the  worship  of  the  true  God,  the 
Christian  sabbath  is  immediately  recognized  by  their  con- 
verts as  a  holy  day.  We  may  therefore  conclude  that  when 
the  idols  shall  be  utterly  abolished,  "  and  the  Lord  shall  bo 
king  over  all  the  earth,"  His  supremacy  will  be  acknow- 
ledged by  a  universal  sanctificatiou  of  that  day  of  the  week 
which  he  challenges  as  his  own.  A  union  of  all  the  fami- 
lies of  the  earth  in  a  holy  observance  of  that  day  which  is 
a  weekly  memorial  of  the  great  work  of  creation,  and  of  the 
still  greater  work  of  redemption,  will  present  a  brighter  pic- 
ture than  earth  has  ever  yet  seen.  Then  will  swords  be 
beaten  into  plough-shares  and  spears  into  pruning  hooks. 
The  prospect  of  such  a  delightful  period,  is  enough  to  sup- 
port and  animate  those  friends  of  God  and  man,  who  live  in 
these  days  when  there  is  so  much  desecration  of  holy  time, 
and  so  much  destruction  of  human  life  by  the  sword  of  war. 

Jer.  xvii.  19—27. 
Thus  saith  the  Lord  unto  me ;  Go  and  stand  in  the 
gate  of  the  children  of  the  people^  whereby  the  kings  of 
Judah  come  in,  and  by  the  which  they  go  outj  and  in  all  the 
gates  of  Jerusalem  ;  and  say  unto  the7n,  Hear  ye  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  ye  kings  of  Judah,  and  all  Judah,  arid  all  the 
inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  that  enter  in  by  these  gates : 
Thus  saith  the  Lord  ;  take  heed  to  yourselves,  arid  bear 
710  burden  on  the  sabbath-day,  nor  bring  it  in  by  the  gates 
of  Jerusalem  ;  neither  carry  forth  a  burden  out  of  your 
houses  on  the  sabbath-day,  neither  do  ye  any  work,  but 
halloio  ye  the  sabbath-day,  as  I  commanded  your  fathers. 
But  they  obeyed  not^  neither  inclined  their  ear^  but  made 


4Q  DISCOIJRSES  ON  THE   SABBATH. 

their  neck  stiffs  that  they  might  not  hear,  nor  receive  in- 
struction. And  it  shall  come  to  j^ass  if  ye  diligently  hearken 
unto  me,  saith  the  Lord,  to  hihig  in  no  burden  through 
the  gates  of  this  city  on  the  sahhath-d.ay,  hut  hallow  the 
sahbath-day,  to  do  no  work  therein  ;  then  shall  there  enter 
into  the  gates  of  this  city  kings  and  princes  sitting  upon 
the  throne  of  David,  riding  in  chariots  and  on  horses,  they, 
and  their  princes,  the  men  of  Judah,  and  the  inhabitants 
of  Jerusalem  :  and  this  city  shall  reniaiii  for  ever.  And 
they  shall  come  from  the  cities  of  Judah,  and  from  the  places 
about  Jerusalem,,  and  from  the  land  of  Benjamin,  and  from, 
the  plain,  and  from  the  mountains,  and  from  the  smith, 
bringing  buriit  offerings,  and  sacrifices,  and  meat  offerings, 
and  incense,  and  bringing  sacrifices  of  praise,  ufito  the 
house  of  the  Lord.  But  if  ye  ivill  not  hearken  unto  m,e  to 
hallow  the  sabbath-day,  and  not  to  bear  a  burden,  even  en- 
ter i7ig  171  at  the  gates  of  Jerusalem  07i  the  sabbath-day  ;  then 
will  I  kindle  afire  in  the  gates  thereof  and  it  shall  devour 
the  palaces  of  Jerusalem,  and  it  shall  not  be  quenched. 

Although  this  passage  is  long,  I  did  not  know  how  to 
omit  any  of  it,  as  it  is  so  solemn,  and  so  suited  to  our  own 
case.     It  is  worthy  of  notice, 

1.  That  the  prophet  was  to  deliver  his  message  to  the 
kings  of  Judah,  to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  the  metrop- 
olis ;  and  to  ail  the  people  of  the  land.  The  Lord  has  a 
right  to  reprove  kings  and  rulers,  and  the  j)olished  i?ihabi- 
iants  of  cities,  as  well  as  the  common  people.  The  mes- 
sengers of  the  Lord  of  hosts  need  not  be  afraid  to  lift  up 
their  warning  voice,  to  reprove  wickedness  in  high  places. 
If  the  ruler  sin  against  the  Lord,  he  ought  to  know  it.  He 
ought  to  know  that  he  is  not  above  Divine  Authority. 
The  command,  "Remember  the  sabbath-day  to  keep  it 
holy,"  is  binding  on  him,  as  much  as  on  any  other.  The 
exalted  station,  even  of  a  monarch,  gives  him  no  liberty  to 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  41 

disregard  one  of  the  commands  of  the  King  of  kings,  and 
Lord  of  lords.  All  classes,  high  and  low,  rich  and  poor,  are 
concerned  to  know  what  the  Lo7'd  hath  spoken. 

2.  It  is  worthy  to  be  noted,  that  the  prophet  Jeremiah 
was  called  to  deliver  this  message  in  a  time  of  general  cor- 
ruption ;  a  time  of  heavy  judgments,  and  a  time  when  the 
kingdom  of  Judah  was  tottering  to  fall.  And  even  now  he 
had  authority  from  God,  to  promise  them  the  removal  of 
these  judgments,  and  the  restoration  of  great  national  pros- 
perity, on  condition  of  their  amending  their  ways  and  their 
doings ;  and  particularly  as  it  respected  the  sanctification  of 
the  sabbath-day.  On  the  other  hand,  they  were  advertised, 
that  if  they  would  not  hearken  unto  the  Lord,  to  hallow  the 
sabbath-day, — he  would  kindle  a  fire  in  the  gates  of  Jerusa- 
lem, which  should  devour  her  palaces,  and  should  not  be 
quenched.  Let  us  pause,  and  think — Does  not  the  same 
God,  who  pronounced  this  threatening,  still  live,  and  reign  ? 
And  has  he  become  reconciled  to  a  profanation  of  his  holy 
sabbath  1  Or  has  he  become  weak,  and  unable  to  vindicate 
his  insulted  authority  ? 

3.  We  notice,  that  the  particular  breach  of  the  sabbath 
complained  of,  and  cautioned  against  in  this  passage,  is 
bearing  burdens  into,  and  out  of  the  gates  of  Jerusalem ; 
and  into,  and  out  of  their  own  doors.  This  is  the  only 
breach  of  the  sabbath  here  particularized,  and  it  is  four 
times  repeated  in  this  one  passage.  The  practice  of  the 
people  of  our  land,  will  furnish  a  reason  for  the  need  there 
was  of  such  explicit  and  reiterated  mention  of  carrying 
burdens  on  the  sabbath,  in  that  time  of  great  declension.  It 
is  probable,  that  going  to  and  from  market,  and  pursuing 
other  journeys,  had  become  a  much  more  common,  open, 
and  allowed  breach  of  the  sabbath,  than  working  in  the 
field.  This  is  most  evidently  the  case  in  our  country,  in 
this  time  of  declension.     There  are  many  men  at  the  present 

day,  who,  when  at  home,  do  not  think  of  yoking  their  oxen, 

4* 


42Si  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

or  harnessing  their  horses,  to  go  into  the  field  to  labor ;  who, 
when  they  are  on  journeys,  even  of  business  or  pleasure, 
think  of  nothing  else  but  doing  it,  from  sabbath  to  sabbath. 
It  is  a  proof  that  religion  is  at  a  low  ebb,  when  men's  con- 
sciences will  allow  them  to  make  such  distinctions  as  these. 
The  fourth  commandment,  which  forbids  any  work  on  the 
sabbath,  most  evidently  forbids  carrying  merchandize,  or 
any  thing  of  the  kind.  But  if  that  is  not  explicit  enough, 
how  can  this  pointed  passage  in  the  prophet  be  gotten  over? 
And  yet  men,  who  read  this  passagCj  as  a  part  of  the  re- 
vealed will  of  God,  will  not  give  up  this  abominable  prac- 
tice. How  are  the  children  of  God  pained,  from  sabbath  to 
sabbath,  to  see  the  great  roads  thronged  with  wagons  loaded 
with  the  produce  which  a  bountiful  Providence  has  caused 
our  fields  to  yield  to  us,  going  to  the  market  towns;  or 
groaning  under  hogsheads  of  rum  and  other  merchandize, 
transported  thence  into  the  country!  Is  not  this  hearing 
burdens  on  the  sabbath-day  ?  And  yet,  what  a  general  prac- 
tice it  has  become— so  general,  that  the  number  who  disap- 
prove of  it,  feel  (as  it  respects  many  parts  of  the  country,) 
insufiicieHt  to  check  it,  though  they  have  the  statute  laws, 
as  well  as  the  laws  of  God,  on  their  side.  And  those,  who 
pass  along  on  the  road  in  their  chaises  and  coaches,  on  the 
sabbath,  are  none  the  less  guilty  of  profaning  the  day,  on 
account  of  their  being  destitute  of  cumbersome  loads.  If 
the  inhabitants  of  this  land  will  be  inattentive  to  so  plain  a 
case  J  if,  like  the  Jews,  they  will  not  obey,  neither  incline 
their  ear,  but  make  their  necks  stiff,  that  they  might  not 
hear,  nor  receive  instruction,  they  must  feel  the  weight  of 
Jehovah's  avenging  arm.  "O.  that  they  were  wise;  that 
they  understood  this !'' 

Lam.  i.  7. 
77ie  adversaries  saw  her,  and  did  mock  at  her 


sabbaths. 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  43 

From  this  short  passage  we  learn,  that  it  is  the  adversa- 
ries of  Zion,  who  mock  at  her  sabbaths.  Infidels  make  very- 
light  of  a  holy  day.  They  would  destroy  the  remembrance 
of  it,  if  it  were  in  their  power.  A  few  years  ago  an  experi- 
ment of  it  was  made  in  France.  The  infidels,  who  man- 
aged the  revolution,  publicly  denounced,  not  only  the 
Christian  religion,  but  the  Divine  existence.  They  mocked 
at  the  sabbath,  and  to  throw  it  into  oblivion,  they  divided  the 
month  into  decades,  or  ten-day  weeks,  instead  of  seven-day 
weeks.  It  cannot  be  expected  of  those  who  hate  God  and 
the  Bible,  that  they  should  call  the  holy  day  of  the  Lord 
honorable.  But  if  this  day  is  the  Lord's,  as  his  word  de- 
clares, it  must  be  a  high  contempt  of  Him  to  disregard  it. 
It  must  be  blasphemy  to  mock  at  it.  "  Now  therefore  be  ye 
not  mockers,  lest  your  bands  be  made  strong." 

EZEK.  XX.  13. 

And  my  sabbaths  they  greatly  polluted :  then  I 


said,  I  would  pour  ov,t  my  fury  upon  them  in  the  wilder- 
ness  to  consume  them. 

From  this  passage  we  learn, 

1.  That  there  is  such  a  thing  as  an  aggravated  profana- 
tion of  the  sabbath-day.  It  may  not  only  be  polluted,  but 
greatly  polluted.  The  sabbath  is  polluted  by  every  thing 
which  the  command,  either  expressly  or  impliedly,  forbids ; 
whether  it  be  in  works,  words,  or  thoughts.  Those  who 
set  themselves  most  conscientiously  to  sanctify  the  day  can 
always  discover,  at  the  close  of  it,  that  they  have  sinfully- 
deviated  from  the  rule ;  and  such  imperfections  are  bewail- 
ed before  God.  But  something  more  than  this  common 
imperfection  is  meant,  when  it  is  said,  "My  sabbaths  they 
greatly  pollutedJ^  A  wilful  disregard  of  the  sabbath,  by- 
performing  common  labor,  transacting  worldly  business,  talk- 
ing unrestrainedly  on  topics  not  relating  to  holy  things  j  or 


44  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

devoting  the  sacred  hours  to  merriment  and  pastime:— they 
who  do  these,  and  such  like  things,  greatly  polkite  the  sab- 
baths of  the  Lord.  A  nation  may  be  said  greatly  to  poUute 
the  sabbaths,  when  it  is  not  here  and  there  a  solitary  indi- 
vidual who  practises  these  things ;  but  when  such  things 
have  become  common  through  the  great  mass  of  the  peo- 
ple ;  and  especially  when  it  is  but  little  thought  of,  that  all 
this  is  wrong,  or  worthy  of  being  reproved,  or  even  men- 
tioned. How  far  this  charge  of  greatly  polluting  the  sab- 
baths of  the  Lord  our  God,  can  be  substantiated  against  us, 
as  persons,  as  families,  and  as.  a  community,  it  becomes  us 
all  to  examine. 

2.  Tliis  passage  teaches  us,  that  when  the  sabbaths  are 
greatly  polluted,  the  Lord  is  greatly  displeased.  "  Then  I 
said,  I  would  pour  out  my  fury  upon  them  in  the  wilder- 
ness to  consume  them."  When  the  Most  High  sees  that  the 
day,  which  he  has  sanctified  and  blessed,  and  strictly  and 
repeatly  enjoined  it  upon  us  to  keep  holy  to  him,  is  wholly 
disregarded,  and  spent  in  a  way  altogether  different  from 
what  he  has  commanded,  his  holy  indignation  is  stirred  up. 
It  is  a  wonder  that  he  bears  so  long  with  such  heaven-daring 
rebels.  If  mercy  did  not  dwell  with  justice,  his  fury  would 
have  been  poured  out  ere  this  time,  and  we  should  have 
been  utterly  consumed. 

We  have  more  concerning  the  sabbath  in  the  same  chap- 
ter, verses  16th  and  24th. 

Because  they  despised  my  judgments  ^  and  walked  not 
in  my  statutes,  hut  polluted  my  sabbaths,  for  their  hearts 
loent  after  their  idols.  Because  they  had  not  executed  m^y 
judgments,  but  had  despised  m,y  statutes,  and  had  pol- 
luted m,y  sabbaths,  and  their  eyes  were  after  their  fathers^ 
idols. 

We  notice,  1.  That  those  who  pollute  the  sabbath,  are 
apt  to  be  guilty  of  other  breaches  of  the  law  of  God.    They 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  45 

are  apt  to  despise  the  holy  rules,  which  the  Judge  of  all  the 
earth  has  given  us,  by  which  to  regulate  our  lives;  this 
they  manifest  by  not  walking  in  his  statutes  in  other  re- 
spects, as  well  as  by  a  contempt  of  holy  time. 

2.  We  notice  in  the  passage  before  us,  that  idolatry  seems 
to  be  at  the  foundation  of  a  profanation  of  the  Lord's  day. — 
"But  polluted  my  sabbaths  :  for  their  heart  went  after  their 
idols."  They  who  are  willing  to  obey  the^r^^,  second  and 
third  commandments,  Avill  most  certainly  be  subject  to  the 
fourth.  They  who  are  willing  there  should  be  a  holy  God^ 
are  willing  there  should  be  a  holy  day.  But  they,  whose 
hearts  go  after  their  idols,  are  not  pleased  with  a  day  sepa- 
rated from  other  days  to  the  service  of  the  true  God.  They 
who  serve  mammon,  and  they  who  are  "lovers  of  pleas- 
ures more  than  lovers  of  God,"  will  be  disgusted  with  the 
sabbath ;  and  will  be  continually  inclined  to  turn  it  out  of 
its  proper  channel  into  one  more  congenial  to  their  idol- 
worship. 

3.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  if  the  sanctification  of  the 
sabbath  were  a  matter  of  small  consequence,  it  would  not 
be  so  repeatedly  mentioned  by  tlie  God  of  Israel,  (who  is  a 
Being  that  never  trifles,)  as  a  reason  why  he  sent  destruc- 
tive evils  upon  his  covenant  people.  In  such  connexion,  it 
is  three  times  repeated  in  this  one  chapter.  The  repeated 
and  particular  mention  which  is  made  of  their  polluting  the 
sabbaths,  while  many  other  sins  were  not  thus  particular- 
ized, shows  that  this  was  not  a  sin  of  small  magnitude  in 
the  sight  of  God ;  and  also,  that  it  was  a  sin  of  which  they 
had  been  in  no  small  degree  guilty.  It  was  a  great  sin,  and 
greatly  multiplied.  It  is  a  sin,  which  no  doubt  greatly  en- 
dangers the  peace  and  prosperity  of  that  people  where  it  is 
multiplied  ; — and  where,  though  the  sin  is  so  open  and  com- 
mon that  it  testifieth  to  their  face ;  yet,  when  they  are  called 
upon  to  return  unto  the  Lord,  they  say,  "  Wherein  shall  we 
return  ?" 


46  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

EzEK.  xxii.  8. 
Thou  hast  despised  onine  holy  things,  and  hast  pro- 
faned Tiiy  sabbaths. 

1.  We  remark,  that  profaning  the  sabbath  is  very  natu- 
rally connected  with  despising  all  the  holy  things  of  the  Lord. 
The  sacrifices,  the  sanctuary,  the  priesthood,  and  all  those 
things  set  apart  to  the  immediate  service  of  God,  were  his 
holy  things.  Religious  worship,  in  all  its  various  branches, 
is  a  holy  thing.  Now,  it  is  perfectly  natural,  that  they  who 
despise  holy  things,  should  despise  a  holy  day.  And  as 
soon  as  you  have  learned  that  it  is  the  character  of  a  man, 
to  tread  under  foot  the  holy  sabbath,  you  expect  nothing 
else  but  to  see  him  tread  under  foot  every  thing  which  is 
sacred. 

2.  By  comparing  this  passage  with  its  context  we  are  led 
to  remark,  that  a  profanation  of  the  sabbath  is  placed  in  the 
midst  of  a  black  catalogue  of  crimes ;  and  must  therefore 
appear  in  God's  account  a  heinous  sin.  Jeremiah  prophe- 
sied just  before  the  destruction  of  the  holy  city  by  the  Baby- 
lonians. In  his  message  to  the  people,  he  pointed  out  to 
them  the  sins  which  would  ruin  them,  if  they  did  not  repent 
and  reform :  and  among  other  things,  we  have  already  seen 
that  he  warned  them,  that  if  they  did  not  hearken  unto  the 
Lord,  to  hallotv  the  sabbath-day,  he  would  kindle  a  fire  in  the 
gates  of  Jerusalem,  which  should  devour  her  palaces,  and 
should  not  be  quenched.  It  is  well  known,  that  the  people 
did  not  hearken  to  the  voice  of  the  Lord  by  his  prophet ; — 
and  that  the  fire  which  was  threatened  was  actually  kin- 
dled, and  was  not  quenched  until  the  city  and  the  temple 
were  laid  in  ashes.  In  view  of  the  certainty  of  this  awful 
destruction,  the  Lord,  by  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  vindicated 
his  conduct  in  bringing  this  evil  upon  the  city  which  was 
called  by  his  name.  "Yea,"  said  the  Lord  to  his  prophet, 
"  thou  shalt  show  her  all  her  abominations."    Then  follows 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  47 

a  catalogue  of  ahominations.  In  the  midst  of  such  abomi- 
nations, as  shedding  blood,  making  idols,  setting  light  by 
father  and  mother,  dealing  by  oppression  with  the  stranger, 
vexing  the  fatherless  and  widow,  carrying  tales  to  shed 
blood,  and  committing  lewdness  ;  we  find  this — "  Thou 
hast  despised  mine  holy  things,  and  hast  profaned  my  sah- 
hathsP  If  a  profanation  of  the  sabbath  is  with  propriety 
put  into  such  a  catalogue  of  abominations,  then  surely,  sab- 
bath-breakers need  be  ashamed  of  their  company.  And  let 
them  remember,  if  the  fire  which  is  kindled  in  our  land, 
should  not  be  quenched  until  the  distress  of  the  nation  shall 
become  extreme,  that  they^  as  well  as  murderers^  and  extor- 
tioners^ and  the  disobedient  to  parents,  and  the  tale  hearers^ 
and  the  adidtercrs,  and  drunkards,  have  kindled  this  fire, 
and  must  be  accountable  for  the  consequences.  Further  on 
in  the  chapter  it  is  said,  "  They  have  made  her  many  wid- 
ows in  the  midst  thereof."  This  was  the  efl^ect  of  war,  (as 
it  always  is :)  but  wicked  men  of  their  own  nation  were  said 
to  make  these  many  widows,  because  their  sins  had  pro- 
voked the  Lord  of  hosts  to  send  a  desolating  war  upon  them. 
The  26th  verse  of  the  same  chapter  is  worthy  of  one  or 
two  remarks. 

Her  priests  have  violated  my  laxo^  and  have  prof aned 
mine  holy  things  :  they  have  put  no  differejice  between  the 
holy  and  profane,  neither  have  they  shewed  difference  be- 
tween the  unclean  and  the  clean,  and  have  hid  their  eyes 
from,  my  sabbaths,  and  I  am,  profaned  among  them,. 

1.  It  may  be  remarked,  that  this  text  exhibits  an  additional 
trait  in  the  character  of  that  degenerate  age,  when  the  city 
and  temple  were,  by  the  judgment  of  God,  devoted  to  the 
flames  ;  it  is  this ;  that  the  priests,  the  ministers  of  religion, 
whose  lips  should  keep  knowledge,  and  at  whose  mouth 
they  should  seek  the  law,  as  being  the  messengers  of  the 
Lord  of  hosts ;  even  the  priests  hid  their  eyes  from  the  sab- 


4o  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

baths  of  the  Lord :  they  did  not  regard  them ;  they  did  not 
reverence  them.  They  conducted  as  though  they  did  not 
see  the  sabbaths  when  they  arrived.  They  hid  their  eyes 
from  them.  Surely  rehgion  must  have  been  at  a  low  ebb, 
when  its  very  ministers  did  not  themselves  regard  that  day 
which  God  had  appropriated  to  religious  worship  and  in- 
struction. When  those  who  sustain  the  office  of  messen- 
gers of  the  Lord  of  hosts ;  who  are  appointed  to  plead  his 
cause  with  their  fellow  men,  and  to  show  them  that  it  is 
not  a  vain  thing  to  serve  God ;  when  these  profane  the  sab- 
bath by  journeying,  by  finding  their  own  pleasure,  by  speak- 
ing their  own  words,  and  especially,  when  they  appear  light 
and  vain  on  this  holy  day ;  then  the  Lord  of  the  sabbath  is 
greatly  profaned  among  the  people  where  they  minister. 
"  Brethren,  pray  for  us,"  who  minister  in  holy  things,  that 
we  may  not  be  suffered  to  be  profaners  of  the  holy  sabbath. 
2.  From  this  passage  we  may  learn  what  the  character  of 
those  ministers  will  be,  considered  as  iweachers^  who  hide 
their  eyes  from  the  Lord's  sabbaths ;  or  are  very  lax  in  their 
observance  of  them :  "  They  will  put  no  difference  between 
the  holy  and  profane;  neither  will  they  show  difference 
between  the  unclean  and  the  clean."  This  may  character- 
ize both  their  fveaching  and  their  discij)line.  In  their 
preaching  there  is  nothing  clear  and  distinguishing.  They 
do  not  show  any  reaZ  difference  between  a  sinner  and  a 
samt.  Then*  hearers  are  rocked  to  sleep  by  their  smooth 
discourses ;  and  Christless  chrHstlans  (if  the  phrase  may  be 
indulged)  are  not  reminded  of  the  sandy  foundation  on 
which  they  are  built.  Discipline  is  laid  asleep.  This 
gospel  fan  is  not  used  to  purge  the  floor  of  Christ.  All  this 
is  implied  in  their  putting  no  difference  between  the  holy  and 
profane ;  between  the  unclean  and  the  clean.  And  this  is 
ascribed  to  those  priests,  or  teachers  in  the  church,  Avho 
have  hid  their  eyes  from  the  holy  sabbaths.  If  teachers  do 
not  distinguish  between  holy  and  common  time,  a  thing 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  49 

SO  plainly  done  by  the  word  of  God.  it  is  not  surprising  that 
in  other  things  they  put  no  difference  between  the  holy  and 
profane.  In  the  44th  chapter  of  this  prophecy,  teachers  in 
the  gospel  church,  and  especially  in  its  millennial  state,  are 
described  as  teaching  the  Lord's  people  the  difterence  be- 
tween the  holy  and  profane,  and  causing  them  to  discern 
between  the  unclean  and  the  clean.  It  is  also  added,  "And 
they  shall  hallow  my  sahhathsP 

There  is  but  one  more  passage  in  the  Old  Testament,  on 
which  I  shall  at  present  remark  :  It  is 

Amos  viii.  5,  8. 
Sayings  When  ivill  the  neio  moon  he  gone^  that  we  inay 
sell  corn  7  and  the  sabbath,  that  we  may  set  forth  tvheat, 
making  the  ephah  small,  and  the  shekel  great,  and  falsi- 
fying the  balances  by  deceit. ^Shall  not  the  land  trem- 
ble for  this,  and  every  one  monrn  that  dwelleth  therein  ? 

1.  It  is  worthy  of  notice,  that  in  the  days  of  the  prophet 
Amos  it  was  a  given  point,  that  the  command,  enjoining 
the  sanctification  of  the  sabbath,  did  peremptorily  prohibit 
the  selling  of  wheat,  or  other  grain,  or  carrying  on  any 
traffic  on  the  sabbath  ;  else  why  did  they  w^ish  the  sabbath 
to  be  gone,  that  they  might  set  forth  wheat?  Are  there  not 
some  at  the  present  day,  who  do  not  wait  for  the  sabbath  to 
be  gone,  before  they  enter  on  their  traffic? 

2.  In  the  passage  before  us  we  notice,  that  a  greediness 
for  gain  will  make  the  sabbath  seem  tedious  to  those  who 
are  thereby  prevented  from  attending  to  their  worldly  busi- 
ness. The  day  seems  long  to  such : — they  say,  J]7ien  loill 
it  be  gone  7  They  are  out  of  their  element.  Their  treasure 
is  laid  up  on  the  earth,  and  their  heart  is  there  also.  And 
no  day  is  pleasant  to  them,  in  which  they  cannot  be  in- 
creasing their  earthly  treasure.  What  a  dreadful  symptom 
must  this  be  of  their  unpreparedness  for  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  !     They  to  whom  one  holy  day  in  the  week  is  tire- 


60  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

some,  must  be  very  far  from  being  prepared  for  an  eternal 
sabbath, 

3.  Another  thing  is  worthy  of  remark  in  this  passage, 
namely.  That  they,  who,  from  an  eager  desire  after  the 
world,  can  hardly  wait  for  the  sabbath  to  be  gone,  before 
they  engage  in  buying  and  selhng,  are  in  danger  of  seeking 
gain  by  fraudulent  means.  In  the  same  sentence,  in  which 
they  are  complained  of  for  wishing  the  sabbath  to  be  gone 
that  they  might  sell  wheat,  they  are  also  charged  with  falsi- 
fying the  balances  by  deceit ;  making  the  ephah  (the  meas- 
ure by  which  they  sold)  small,  and  the  shekel  (the  weight 
of  the  money  received  in  payment)  great.  They  also  sold 
the  refuse  of  the  wheat.  It  is  not  strange,  if  men  who  al- 
lowedly rob  God,  should  be  guilty  of  defrauding  their  fel- 
low men.  At  least,  it  is  certain,  that  it  is  not  from  upright- 
ness of  heart  they  are  prevented  from  doing  it.  Men  may 
for  a  pretence  make  long  prayers,  and  have  a  shew  of  much 
regard  to  the  sabbath,  and  yet  be  dishonest  men ;  but  they, 
who  from  jjrinciple  keep  the  sabbath  holy  to  the  Lord, 
may  be  depended  upon  as  men  possessing  an  honest  dispo- 
sition towards  their  fellow  men.  True  piety  is  never  con- 
nected with  an  immoral  life.  The  first  and  great  command 
enjoins  supreme  love  to  God ;  the  second  is  like  it,  namely, 
Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself  The  man,  who 
has  no  regard  to  the  first  of  these  commands,  has  no  true 
regard  to  the  second. 

4.  It  is  to  our  point  to  remark,  that  their  wicked  works, 
among  which  a  dislike  to  the  sabbath  is  mentioned,  were 
about  to  bring  dreadful  judgments  on  the  nation.  "Shall 
not  the  land  tremble  for  this,  and  every  one  mourn  that 
dwelleth  therein  ?"  Our  land  is  trembling,  and  very  many 
wear  the  badges  of  mourning.  "For  all  this  his  anger  is 
not  turned  away,  but  his  hand  is  stretched  out  still !" 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  51 


THIED  DISCOURSE. 

John  v.  39. 
Search  the  Scriptures. 


Let  us  now  search  the  New  Testament  scriptures,  that  we 
may  see  what  they  testify  of  the  weekly  sabbath.  Some 
have  thought,  the  New  Testament  has  done  away  the  sab- 
bath ;  so  that  now  one  day  is  no  more  holy  than  another. 
Let  us  candidly  hear  its  testimony,  and  then  judge. 

The  first  three  evansfelists,  Matthew,  Mark,  and  Luke,  do 
in  many  instances  record  the  same  things.  I  shall  examine 
their  record  concerning  the  sabbath,  as  nearly  as  I  can,  ac- 
cording to  the  order  of  time,  instead  of  being  governed  by 
the  order  in  which  the  records  are  placed  in  the  Bible.  In 
pursuance  of  this  method,  the  first  passage  which  presents 
itself  is, 

Luke  iv.  16. 

And  he  came  to  Nazareth  ivhere  he  had  been  brought 
up :  and,  as  his  ciistom  %i)as,  he  went  into  the  synagogue 
on  the  sabbath-day,  and  stood  up  for  to  read. 

On  this  passage  we  are  led  to  remark, 

1.  There  was  a  sabbath-day  in  the  time  of  Christ. 

2.  That  it  was  common  at  that  time  to  have  meetings  on 
the  sabbath,  for  religious  purposes;  especially  for  getting 
instruction  out  of  the  scriptures. 

3.  We  also  learn  from  this  portion  of  scripture,  that 
Christ  made  a  stated  practice  of  attending  these  religious 
meetings  on  the  sabbath-day.     We  are  not  only  informed, 


63  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

that  he  went  into  the  synagogue  (or  meeting  house)  on  a 
certain  sabbath-day ;  but  that  it  was  his  custom  so  to  do. 
[See  also  Luke  xiii.  10.  Mark  i.  21,  and  vi.  2.]  From  this 
scripture,  and  from  the  other  parts  of  the  history  of  our  Lord, 
we  have  reason  to  conclude,  that  from  his  early  childhood 
it  was  his  custom  to  attend  upon  the  worship  and  instruc- 
tion of  the  synagogue  every  sahhatli-day.  So  far,  we  have 
evidence  in  favor  of  a  strict  and  constant  sanctification  of 
the  holy  sabbath  by  our  blessed  Lord.  A  constant  attend- 
ance on  public  worship,  is  one  of  the  ways  that  the  people 
of  God  manifest  their  regard  to  the  sabbath.  If  we  would 
make  Jesus  Christ  our  pattern,  (and  we  cannot  have  a  better,) 
we  must  attend  public  worship,  not  once  a  month ;  or  now 
and  then  ;  but  it  must  be  our  custom  to  attend  from  sabbath 
to  sabbath.  Let  me  add,  though  it  must  be  our  custom  to 
attend ;  yet  we  must  not  attend  from  custom,  but  from  re- 
gard to  God. 

The  next  passage  in  order,  which  relates  to  the  subject 
before  us,  is  concerning  the  disciples  of  Christ  plucking  the 
ears  of  corn  on  the  sabbath-day.     This  is  recorded, 

Matt.  xii.  1—8. 
At  that  tbne  Jesus  went  on  tlie  sahhath-day  through  the 
corn  ;  and  his  disciples  ivere  an  hungered^  and  began  to 
•pluck  the  ears  of  corn^  and  to  eat.  But  when  the  Phari- 
sees saiv  it,  they  said  unto  him,  behold,  thy  disciples  do 
that  ivhich  is  not  laivfid  to  do  ujjon  the  sabbath-day.  But 
he  said  tmto  them,  have  ye  not  read  what  David  did,  when 
he  was  an  hungered,  and  they  that  were  loith  hirn  ;  how 
he  enteredj  into  tJie  house  of  God,  and  did  eat  the  sheio- 
bread,  which  was  not  lawfid  for  lii'in  to  eat  neitJier  for 
them  which  were  with  him,  but  only  for  the  priests  ?  Or 
have  ye  not  read  in  the  law,  hoiv  that  on  the  sabbath-days 
the  priests  in  the  temple  profane  the  sabbath,  and  are 
blameless  7    But  I  say  unto  you^  that  in  this  place  is  one 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  53 

greater  than  the  temple.  But  if  ye  had  known  what  this 
tneancth,  I  icill  have  mercy ^  and  not  sacrifice,  ye  would  not 
have  condemned  the  guiltless.  For  the  Son  of  man  is 
Lord  even  of  the  sahhath-day. 

Let  it  be  notedj  1.  That  the  complaint  brought  against 
the  disciples  was  not  for  theft ;  because  it  was  written, 
Deut.  xxiii.  25,  "When  thou  comest  into  the  standing- 
corn  of  thy  neighbor,  then  thou  mayest  pluck  the  ears  with 
thine  hand  :  but  thou  shalt  not  move  a  sickle  unto  thy 
neighbor's  standing-corn."  The  complaint  was  for  breach 
of  the  sabbath,  for  doing-  "  that  which  was  not  lawful  to  do 
upon  the  sahhath-day.^^ 

2.  Let  it  be  noted,  that  Jesus,  in  clearing  his  disciples 
from  the  charge  of  doing  that  which  was  not  lawful  to  be 
done  on  the  sabbath-day,  never  pretended  that  the  command, 
enjoinins:  the  sanctification  of  the  sabbath,  was  repealed  or 
altered.  If  Jesus  had  considered  this  commandment  as  no 
longer  binding,  it  would  have  been  perfectly  in  point  to  have 
said  so.  But  he  answered  the  accusers,  fii^st,  by  referring 
them  to  the  case  of  David,  who  in  a  time  of  extreme  urgency 
satisfied  his  hunger  with  the  shew-bread,  which  God  had 
separated  to  the  use  of  the  priests  alone.  Christ  justified 
the  conduct  of  David  in  this  extreme  case,  without  design- 
ing to  find  the  least  fault  with  the  law,  which  prohibited 
any  but  the  priests  from  eating  the  shew-bread.  Secondly. 
Christ  answered  these  accusers  by  saying,  "have  ye  not 
read  in  the  law,  how  that  on  the  sabbath-days  the  priests  in 
the  temple  profane  the  sabbath,  and  are  blameless  ?"  i.  e.  the 
priests  and  Levites  were  obliged  to  perform  considerable 
labor  in  killing  the  sacrifices  which  were  to  be  offered  on 
the  sabbath-days :  and  yet,  as  these  sacrifices  were  divinely 
appointed,  the  labor  must  be  performed.  It  is  called  profa- 
ning the  sabbath,  not  because  it  was  wrong,  but  because  it 
was  such  kind  of  labor  as  was  performed  on  other  days,  and 
5* 


54  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

would  have  profaned  the  sabbath,  if  it  had  not  been  either 
enjoined,  or  necessary.  Thirdly.  Christ  answered  those 
who  accused  his  disciples  of  profaning  the  sabbath,  because 
that  on  this  day  they  rubbed  out  a  few  ears  of  corn  to  satisfy 
their  hunger,  by  referring  to  Hos.  vi.  6 ;  where  the  Lord 
says,  "I  desired  mercy  and  not  sacrifice."  God  had  ap- 
pointed sacrifices,  but  he  hated  robbery  for  burnt  offerings  ; 
even  if  it  was  robbing  the  poor  of  those  alms^  which  they 
needed  to  sustain  life.  He  had  appointed  the  sanctification 
of  the  sabbath,  but  he  allowed  us  out  of  this  day  a  sufliciency 
of  time  to  take  our  stated  meals. 

Let  vis  now  for  a  moment  examine  into  this  alleged  breach 
of  the  sabbath.  Tlie  disciples  were  hungry.  They  had  a 
right  by  the  divine  law,  as  honesty  was  respected,  to  gather 
a  few  heads  of  wheat  or  barley  to  satisfy  hunger.  They  did 
not  probably  consume  so  much  time,  in  the  gathering,  rub- 
bing out,  and  eating,  this  dry  meal,  as  is  consumed  in  merely 
eating  a  common  meal,  after  it  is  all  placed  upon  the  table. 
Surely,  if  the  Pharisees  had  not  been  disposed  to  find  fault 
with  what  was  done  by  Christ  and  his  followers,  they 
would  not  have  thought  of  grounding  an  accusation  on  so 
small  a  thing.  Indeed  this  accusation  is  good  proof,  that 
the  disciples  of  Jesus  were  exemplary  in  their  observance 
of  the  sabbath,  else  the  Pharisees,  who  continually  watched 
for  their  halting,  would  have  been  able  to  have  produced 
some  greater  allegation. 

Christ  told  these  accusing  Pharisees,  that  he  was  Lord 
even  of  the  sabbath -day.  As  the  great  Author  of  the  com- 
mandment, he  was  able  to  tell  what  he  meant  by  keeping 
holy  the  sabbath  ;  and  to  declare  what  things  might  be  done, 
and  we  be  guiltless  of  polluting  the  day.  As  Lord  of  the 
sabbath,  his  honor  was  concerned  to  guard  it  against  every 
mihallowf  d  touch. 

Mark  and  Luke  both  give  us  an  account  of  the  Pharisees 
accusing  the  disciples  of  profaning  the  sabbath,  because  they 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  55 

plucked  the  ears  of  corn.  Mark,  in  his  account  of  it,  relates 
one  thing  which  our  Savior  said  in  his  answer  to  the  Pha- 
risees, which  is  omitted  by  Matthew.  It  is  contained  in  the 
2d  chapter  of  his  Gospel,  27th  verse ;  Aiid  he  said  unto 
them^  The  sahbath  was  inade  for  inan^  and  not  onan  for 
the  sahbath. 

Here  let  us  observe,  1st.  That  tlie  Lord  of  the  sabbath 
tells  us  that  there  was  a  sabbath  7?iade.  We  have  hereto- 
fore seen  when  the  sabbatli  was  made,  even  as  soon  as  the 
heavens  and  earth  and  all  their  host  were  finished.  We 
have  also  seen,  that  the  sabbath  which  was  then  made  was 
renewedly  enjoined  by  one  of  the  ten  commandments.  We 
have  also  seen,  by  recurring  to  a  number  of  inspired  records, 
what  things  were  forbidden  to  be  done  on  that  day,  and  how 
the  hours  must  be  spent  to  please  God.  Now  this  very  sab- 
bath, instituted  by  the  Creator,  written  with  his  own  finger 
on  one  of  the  tables  of  stone,  and  guarded  by  many  promises 
and  threatenings,  was  the  sabbath  which  our  Savior  must 
have  meant. 

2ndly.  W~e  observe,  that  this  sabbath  was  made/or  man  ; — 
not  only  for  man  to  obey ;  but  it  was  also  made  for  the  ben- 
efit of  man.  What  is  the  inference  from  this  ?  Is  this  the 
inference,  '  Then  man  may  use  the  sabbath  as  he  pleases  V 
As  well  might  it  be  inferred,  that  because  Christ  died  for 
sinners,  to  do  them  an  infinite  favor,  therefore  they  may 
treat  him  as  they  please.  If  sinners  would  have  the  death 
of  Christ  prove  a  blessing  to  them,  they  must  receive  him 
as  he  is  freely  offered  to  them  in  the  gospel.  So,  if  the 
children  of  men  would  have  that  sabbath,  which  was  made 
for  them,  prove  a  real  benefit  to  them,  they  must  keep  it  ac- 
cording to  the  commandment;  they  must  make  it  ii  holy 
and  not  a  common  day.  Yet  it  was  natural  to  infer,  since 
the  sabbath  was  made  for  man,  and  was  not  made  a  fasting 
day,  that  man  might  satisfy  his  hunger  in  such  a  way  as 


56  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

the  disciples  did,  without  being  considered  as  treading  under 
foot  "  the  holy  of  the  Lord." 

The  great  latitude,  which  some  have  taken  from  this 
declaration  of  our  Savior,  is  very  unreasonable.  The  Savior 
evidently  recognized  the  command  which  obliges  us  to  hal- 
low the  sabbath-day ;  nor  did  he  say  any  thing  to  encourage 
a  loose  explication  of  the  command.  When  he  said,  that 
"man  was  not  made  for  the  sabbath,"  he  did  not  mean  to 
throw  the  reins  on  our  necks,  and  tell  us  that  we  were  made 
to  live  unto  ourselves,  and  do  with  the  sabbath  as  we  pleased. 
We  were  made  to  glorify  God.  This  is  our  duty,  and  in 
doing  this,  we  shall  find  the  favor  of  God,  w^hich  is  life. 
God  is  glorified  by  a  conscientious  observance  of  his  holy 
day ;  and  not  only  so,  but  those,  who  thus  observe  it,  are 
blessed  in  so  doing,  and  are  greatly  furthered  in  their  way 
to  glory. 

Mark  iii.  1 — 6. 
And  he  entered  again  into  the  synagogue ;  and  there 
was  a  man  there  lohich  had  a  withered  hand :  and  they 
watched  him,  whether  he  would  heal  him,  on  the  sabbath- 
day  ;  that  they  might  accuse  him.  And  he  saith  unto  the 
man  with  the  loithered  hand,  stand  forth.  And  he  saith 
unto  the7n,  Is  it  lawful  to  do  good  on  the  sabbath-days,  or 
to  do  evil  ?  to  save  life,  or  to  kill  ?  But  they  held  their 
peace.  And  when  he  had  looked  round  about  on  them 
with  anger,  being  grieved  for  the  hardness  of  their  hearts, 
he  saith  unto  the  m^an.  Stretch  forth  thine  hand.  And  he 
stretched  it  out :  and  his  hand  was  restored  lohole  as  the 
other.  And  the  Pharisees  went  forth,  and  straightway 
took  counsel  loith  the  Horodians  against  him,  hoio  they 
m,ight  destroy  him. 

The  same  matter  is  narrated.  Matt.  xii.  9 — 13,  and  Luke 
vi.  6—11. 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  57 

Before  I  proceed  to  make  any  comment  on  this  portion  of 
scripture,  I  shall  introduce  two  others  from  the  Gospel  of 
Luke,  which  are  very  similar  to  this  ;  so  that  the  same  re- 
marks will  be  naturally  suggested  by  them  all.  The  first 
is,  chapter  xiii.  10—17. 

And  he  was  teaching  in  one  of  the  synagogues  on  the 
sabbath.  A?id,  behold,  there  was  a  ivoman  which  had  a 
spirit  of  infirmity  eighteen  years,  and  was  bowed  together 
and  could  in  no  wise  lift  up  herself.  And  when  Jesus  saio 
her,  he  called  her  to  hbn,  and  said  unto  her,  Woman,  thou 
art  loosed  from  thine  infirmity.  And  he  laid  his  hands 
on  her  :  and  immediately  she  loas  made  straight  and  glo- 
rified God.  And  the  rider  of  the  synagogue  answered 
with  indignation,  because  that  Jesus  had  healed  on  the 
sabbath-day,  and  said  unto  the  j)Gople,  There  are  six  days 
in  lohich  men  ought  to  wm^k  :  in  them  therefore  come  and 
he  healed,  and  not  on  the  sabbath-day.  The  Lord  then 
ansivered  him,  and  said.  Thou  hypocrite,  doth  not  each 
one  of  you  on  tlie  sabbath  loose  his  ox  or  his  ass  from  the 
stcdl,  and  lead  him  away  to  watering  7  And  ought  not 
this  icoman,  being  a  daughter  of  Abraham,  vJiom  Satan 
hath  bound,  lo,  these  eighteen  years,  be  loosed  from,  this 
bond  on  the  sabbath-day  7  And  xohen  he  had  said  these 
things,  all  his  adversaries  were  ashamed :  and  all  the 
joeople  rejoiced  for  cdl  the  glorious  things  that  loere  done 
by  him. 

The  other  is,  chapter  xiv.  1 — 6> 

And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  went  iiito  the  house  of  one  of 
the  chief  Pharisees  to  eat  bread  on  the  sabbath-day,  that 
they  xvatched  Jtim.  And,  behold,  there  ivas  a  certain  mem 
before  him  ivhich  had  the  drojjsy.  And  Jesus  ansicering, 
spake  unto  the  lawyers  and  Pharisees,  saying.  Is  it  lauful 


58  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

to  heal  on  the  sahhath-day  7  And  they  held  their  peace. 
And  he  took  him,  and  healed  him,  and  let  /izm  go  ;  and 
answered  them  saying.  Which  of  you  shall  have  an  ass  or 
an  ox  fallen  into  a  j)it,  and  will  not  straightway  pidl  him, 
out  on  the  sahhath-day  '?  And  they  could  not  answer  him, 
again  to  these  things. 

From  these  scriptures  we  learn,  1.  That  there  are  certain 
works  of  necessity  and  mercy,  which  may  be  done  upon 
the  sabbath-day.  The  manner  in  which  Christ  speaks  of 
the  general  practice,  of  loosing  the  ox  or  the  ass  from  the 
stall  to  lead  him  away  to  watering  on  the  sabbath-day,  im- 
plies, that  he  does  not  disapprove  of  the  practice,  as  being 
inconsistent  with  a  holy  observance  of  the  day.  Nothing- 
is  to  be  done  on  the  sabbath,  for  the  sake  of  getting  along 
with  our  worldly  business; — for  the  sake  of  accumidating 
property.  In  this  respect,  the  command  is  strict.  Thou  shalt 
not  do  any  work.  But  this  does  not  forbid  us,  even  on  the 
sabbath-day,  to  deal  out  to  our  cattle  the  hay  and  provender, 
which  we  have  laid  up  on  other  days.  All  the  business 
which  can  be  done  before  the  sabbath,  to  render  us  and  our 
beasts  comfortable  through  the  day,  is  to  be  done ;  and  all 
which  can  be  left  until  after  the  sabbath,  is  to  be  left  undone. 
But  even,  when  this  direction  is  followed,  some  things  of  a 
secular  nature,  such  as  foddering  and  watering  our  cattle, 
and  dressing  food  for  ourselves,  must  be  done  on  the  sab- 
bath itself. 

The  Lord  of  the  sabbath  allowed  of  loosing  the  ox  and 
the  ass  from  the  stall,  to  lead  them  away  to  watering  on  this 
day ;  but  did  he  allow  of  loosing  them  from  the  stall,  to 
drive  them  in  droves  to  the  market ;  or  to  draw  those  bur- 
dens, which,  in  his  word,  he  had  expressly  forbidden  to  be 
borne  on  the  sabbath-day  ?  Who  would  think  of  inferring 
the  latter  from  the  former? 

The  Divine  Teacher  also  allowed  of  works  of  mercy ;  and 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  59 

these  had  always  been  allowed ;  for  he  did  not  abate  the 
sanctity  of  the  sabbath.  If  a  beast  had  fallen  into  a  pit,  or 
was  otherwise  in  distressed  circumstances,  he  evidently  con- 
sidered it  lawful  to  afford  it  relief  on  his  holy  day.  He 
considered  healing  the  sick,  as  a  thing  not  inconsistent  with 
the  sanctitication  of  the  day.  Christ  himself  healed  without 
any  labor ;  yet  I  think  we  may  learn  from  what  he  did,  and 
from  what  he  said  on  the  subject,  that  it  is  lawful  for  phi/- 
sicians  to  minister  healing  medicines  to  the  sick  on  the 
Lord's  day.  Yet  I  cannot  think  that  Christ  will  approve  of 
making  the  sabbath  the  particular  day  of  resorting  to  the 
physician  :  nor  do  I  think  he  is  pleased  to  have  physicians 
make  this,  more  particularly  than  other  days,  the  day  of 
visiting  their  patients.  He  searcheth  the  reins  and  hearts, 
and  knoweth  who  among  this  profession  of  men  are  desi- 
rous of  resting  from  their  labors,  to  devote  the  day  to  the 
exercises  of  religion.* 

Other  works  of  mxcrcy,  such  as  affording  relief  to  those 
-who  are  in  suffering  circumstances,  are  consistent  with  keep- 
ing the  day  holy  to  the  Lord.  If  one  of  you  on  a  Lord's  day 
morning,  just  ready  to  go  to  the  house  of  God  to  attend  on 
his  worship,  should  be  informed,  that  a  family  at  the  distance 
of  several  miles,  was  perishing  with  hunger,  it  would  be 
no  breach  of  the  sabbath,  to  turn  your  attention  to  them, 
though  for  this  time  your  seat  in  the  house  of  God  should 
thereby  become  empty.  Mercy,  in  such  an  instance,  would 
be  more  pleasing  to  God  than  sacrifice.  Such  a  case  would 
serve  to  explain  the  question  put  to  the  scribes  and  Phari- 
sees, "Is  it  lawful  on  the  sabbath-day  to  do  good,  or  to  do 
evil  ?  to  save  life,  or  to  destroy  it  ?" 

2.  From  the  passages  of  scripture   now   before   us,  we 

*  Physicians  are  bound  by  the  law  of  the  sabbath,  (as  it  stands  in  the  word 
of  God,)  to  do  all  they  can  towards  preparing  their  medicines  beforehand  ;  so 
that  they  may  have  as  little  diversion  as  possible  from  the  appropriate  duties 
of  the  holy  day. 


60  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABDATH. 

learn,  that  men  may  even  be  rigid  in  the  external  obser- 
vance of  the  sabbathj  and  yet  have  no  true  piety.  They 
who  keep  it  as  a  day  consecrated  to  the  honor  and  Avorship 
of  the  Most  High,  and  delight  in  it  as  such,  are  pious ;  they 
are  meetening  for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  h'ght :  but 
no  degree  of  external  strictness  ought  to  be  considered  as 
decisive  proof  that  we  love  God.  Our  blessed  Lord  plainly 
told  the  Pharisees,  that  the  love  of  God  was  not  in  them  ; 
and  yet  from  the  scripture  before  us,  we  find  these  very 
Pharisees  found  much  fault  with  him,  because  he  was  no 
stricter  in  his  observance  of  the  sabbath.  They  were  whi- 
ted  sepulchres.  Their  religion  was  all  outside.  They  had 
no  principle  of  supreme  love  to  God;  and  yet  were  ready 
to  condemn  Immanuel,  God  himself,  because  he  was  no 
more  holy.  Some  have  considered  a  strict  regard  to  the 
external  observance  of  the  sabbath  as  a  jDroof  of  hypocrisy; 
but  this  is  wrong:  God  requires  strictness.  Nehemiah,  a 
man  greatly  approved  of  God,  was  remarkably  strict  in  ob- 
serving the  sabbath,  and  in  requiring  others  to  do  it.  Christ 
did  not  find  fault  with  the  Pharisees  for  their  strictness, 
even  in  paying  tithes  of  mint,  anise,  and  cummin  ;  but  for 
omitting  the  weightier  matters  of  religion.  I  do  not  know 
that  he  found  fault  with  them  for  their  external  strictness  in 
observing  the  sabbath,  except  in  those  instannes  in  which 
they  condemned  him  as  a  profaner  of  the  sabbath.  And  in 
these  instances  he  showed  them  that  their  own  allowed 
practice  in  other  cases,  such  as  relieving  animals  in  distress, 
or  leading  their  creatures  to  watering,  would  justify  him, 
and  make  it  appear,  that  he  was  in  reality  as  strict  as  they 
were.  But  all  their  strictness  was  nothing  pleasing  to  the 
holy  Jesus ;  "  he  looked  round  about  on  them  with  anger, 
being  grieved  for  the  hardness  of  their  hearts."  He  looked 
into  their  hearts,  and  there  saw  none  of  the  love  of  God : 
— he  saw  no  godly  sorrow  for  sin  ;  no  faith  in  the  divine 
promises :  nor  any  of  that  meek,  humble,  sweet,  benevolent 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SAP.BATH-  61 

temper,  which  is  essential  to  an  amiable  character.  If  these 
are  wanting,  all  is  wanting.  If,  on  the  Lord's  clay,  we  do 
no  work,  perform  no  journey,  read  no  books  but  such  as  are 
on  the  subject  of  religion,  have  no  discourse  except  such 
as  is  serious,  and  are  still  destitute  of  the  love  of  God 
shed  abroad  in  the  heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  let  us  not  in- 
dulge a  thought  that  we  are  Christians. 

Matth.  xxiv.  20. 

But  pray  that  your  flight  he  not  in  the  wi7iter,  neither 
on  the  sahbath-day. 

In  this  passage  Christ  seems  to  put  honor  on  the  sabbath- 
day.  Fleeing  from  an  invading  foe  might  be  lawful  on  the 
sabbath  ;  but  still  it  would  be  a  great  impediment  to  a  spir- 
itual enjoyment  of  its  sacred  hours ;  therefore  it  was  suita- 
ble to  pray,  that  such  an  event  might,  by  the  disposals  of 
Providence,  be  prevented  from  occurring  on  that  holy  day. 
From  this  perhaps  we  may  learn,  that  it  manifests  want  of 
regard  to  the  sabbath  to  make  choice  of  that  as  the  day  of 
making  an  attack  on  our  enemy ;  and  we  ought  to  pray, 
that  they  may  be  prevented  from  taking  that  day  to  attack 
us.  It  is  not  only  proper  to  deprecate  conflagrations,  inun- 
dations, and  such  unforeseen  calamities ;  but  also  to  pray,  if 
God  sees  it  necessary  to  chastise  us  by  them,  that  in  mercy 
he  would  not  send  them  on  the  sabbath-day,  as  they  would 
tend  to  divert  our  attention  from  its  appropriate  and  very 
important  duties.  The  sabbath  is  the  most  important  day 
of  the  week.  So  the  scriptures  consider  it.  The  other  days 
of  the  week  are  more  immediately  devoted  to  prepare  to  live 
here;  but  the  sabbath  is  more  peculiarly  devoted  to  prepare 
to  live  in  heaven.  We  ought  therefore  to  prefer  to  be 
diverted  from  the  secular  pursuits  of  one  of  the  working ' 
days,  rather  than  to  be  diverted  from  the  religious  duties  of 
the  Lord's  day. 

6 


62  DISCOURSES   ON  THE  SABBATH. 

Luke  xxiii.  55,  56. 
And  the  women  also  which  came  from  Galilee^  followed 
after ^  and  beheld  the  septdchre,  and  hoio  his  body  was  laid, 
and  they  returned^  and  jyrepared  spices  and  ointments  ;  and 
rested  the  sahbath-day^  according  to  the  commandment. 

1.  It  is  worthy  of  observation,  that  these  women  who 
came  from  Galilee,  from  all  the  account  which  we  have  of 
them,  were  among  the  choicest  disciples  which  Jesus  had. 
From  the  eighth  chapter  of  this  Gospel  we  learn,  that  they 
ministered  to  him  of  their  substance.  They  followed  him 
to  the  cross,  and  to  the  sepulchre.  They  prepared  spices 
and  ointments  to  perfume  his  dead  body ;  and  on  the  first 
day  of  the  week,  they  came  early  to  perform  what  they 
supposed  would  be  the  last  kind  office  to  him  whom  they 
loved.  These  women  had  all  of  them  sat  at  the  feet  of 
Jesus,  and  heard  his  word.  They  had  deeply  drunk  of  his 
spirit.  By  following  him  from  place  to  place,  they  had  op> 
portunity  to  become  acquainted  with  his  practice^  as  well  as 
with  his  doctrine. 

2.  It  is  worthy  of  observation,  that  these  holy  women 
rested  the  sabbath-day,  according  to  the  commandment.  It 
is  not  said,  they  rested  according  to  the  tradition  of  the 
elders,  the  sentiment  of  the  Pharisees,  cr  the  superstition  of 
the  Jews ;  but  that  they  rested  according  to  the  command- 
ment. From  this  we  may  safely  conclude,  that  Jesus  Christ 
taught  his  followers,  both  by  precept  and  example,  to  keep 
the  sabbath-day  as  a  holy  rest. 

3.  It  is  worthy  to  be  observed,  what  these  Christian  women 
rested  from  on  the  sabbath :  they  rested  from  anointing  the 
body  of  Jesus.  This  was  the  work  which  they  were  pre- 
paring to  do,  when  the  sabbath  arrived  ;  and  it  was  a  work 
which  their  hearts  were  much  set  upon,  as  appears  by  the 
sequel ;  and  yet  they  rested  even  from  this  work  of  i^^^-^  on 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  63 

the  sabbath,  according  to  the  commandment  *  Jesus  Christ 
who  being  dead,  yet  lived  in  spirit,  was  no  doubt  more 
pleased  to  see  these  friends  of  his,  resting-  on  the  sabbath, 
according  to  the  comma?id?jie7it,  than  to  have  seen  them 
anointing  his  body  with  the  most  costly  ointments ;  else  he 
would  not  have  influenced  the  Evangelist  to  use  such  words 
in  making  a  record  of  it.  From  this  case  we  may  learn, 
that  the  sabbath  may  be  profaned  by  unnecessary  work 
about  the  dead;  such  as  digging  graves,  making  coflins,  or 
preparing  mourning  apparel.  If  a  person  dying  on  Friday, 
is  to  be  buried  on  the  sabbath,  it  would  be  a  profanation  of 
the  day,  to  defer  preparing  the  coffin  and  grave  until  the 
sabbath,  because  the3^  could  then  be  seasonably  prepared. 
To  do  unnecessary  work  relating  to  the  dead,  is  only  to 
make  this  a  cover  for  the  profanation  of  holy  time.  Let  me 
ask.  Would  it  be  any  more  consistent  with  the  fourth  com- 
mandment, to  go  into  the  burying-ground,  to  set  up  grave 
stones  on  the  sabbath-day,  than  to  transact  any  secular  busi- 
ness? It  may  often  be  necessary  to  dig  a  grave  on  this  holy 
day,  but  it  can  never  be  necessary  to  set  up  grave  stones : 
And  when  it  is  known  to  be  no  more  necessary  to  do  the 
one,  than  the  other,  then  they  are  equally  forbidden. 

4.  It  may  be  worth  noticing  when  this  sabbath  was,  on 
which  these  Christian  women  rested  according  to  the  com- 
mandment. It  was  after  Christ  came  into  the  world.  It 
was  after  he  had  gone  through  with  his  public  ministry,  and 
expired  on  the  cross.  Even  then^  his  most  devoted  friends 
kept  the  sabbath,  according  to  the  commandment.  If  the 
sabbath  out-lived  the  life  of  Christ  upon  earth,  then  all 
which  is  drawn  from  the  example  of  Christ,  or  of  his  disci- 
ples, while  he  was  yet  with  them,  to  do  away  the  obliga- 
tion of  sanctifying  the  sabbath,  is  of  no  force. 

*  Cluery.  Would  not  such  women  have  also  rested  from  the  work  of  a 
daily  on  the  sabbath,  with  a  beUef  that  such  resting  was  according  to  the  com- 
mandment 1 


64  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

In  the  Gospel  of  John,  we  have  two  other  instances  of 
miracles  of  healing,  performed  by  Christ  on  the  sabbath.  Of 
one  we  have  the  account  in  the  fifth,  and  of  the  other  in  the 
ninth  chapter.  In  both  these  cases  we  find  the  Jews  object- 
ing against  the  piety  of  Jesus,  because  he  did  these  things 
on  the  sabbath-day.  As  we  have  already  attended  to  this 
objection,  we  shall  not  examine  both  these  cases  distinctly. 
But  there  is  something  in  the  reply  which  our  Savior  made 
to  them,  when  they  found  fault  with  his  healing  the  impo- 
tent man,  which  deserves  some  particular  attention. 

John  v.  16,  17. 
A7id  therefore  did  the  Jews  persecute  Jesus,  and  sought 
to  slay  him,  because  he  had  done  these  things  on  the  sab- 
bath-day.    But  Jesus  answered  them.  My  Father  worketh 
hitherto^  and  I  work. 

It  may  be  said,  Does  not  our  Savior,  in  this  answer  to  the 
Jews,  acknowledge  that  he  worked  on  the  sabbath-day,  and 
that  he  had  ever  made  a  practice  of  doing  it  ?  If  then  he  is 
to  be  our  pattern,  may  we  not  work  on  the  sabbath,  and  be 
blameless  ? 

If  any  one  has  been  led  by  this  passage  to  such  a  conclu- 
sion, let  him  devote  only  a  moment  or  two  to  a  candid  re- 
examination of  it,  and  he  will  see,  that  no  such  conclusion 
ouofht  to  have  been  drawn  from  it. 

In  this  passage  we  notice,  That  Jesus  brings  into  view 
the  example  of  his  Father,  to  support  him  in  working  on 
the  sabbath-day ;  "  My  Father  worketh  hitherto,  and  /  work." 
But  in  the  fourth  commandment,  and  at  the  first  institution 
of  the  sabbath,  God's  resting  from  his  work  on  the  sabbath, 
is  proposed  as  our  example  for  resting  from  our  work  on 
that  day.  And  let  it  ever  be  kept  in  mind,  that  divine  truth 
does  not  stand  opposed  to  divine  truth.  When  the  scrip- 
ture iiiforms  us,  that  on  the  seventh  day  God  rested  from  his 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  65 

work,  we  are  not  to  obtain  the  idea,  that  he  rested  from  ail 
kind  of  work  and  became  inactive  during  the  sabbath.  He 
rested  from  the  work  of  creation  ;  but  from  the  work  of 
providence  he  could  not  rest  a  moment,  without  creation's 
returning  to  its  primitive  nothing.  All  things  are  constantly- 
upheld  by  the  word  of  his  power,  and  directed  by  his  wis- 
dom. It  was  in  this  sense,  that  Christ  declared  that  his 
Father  had  worked  hitherto.  In  the  same  sense,  He,  as 
being  one  with  the  Father,  continually  worked  and  now 
works.  His  providential  care  of  his  kingdom,  and  of  the 
works  of  his  hands  went  on  during  the  sabbath  as  much  as 
on  any  other  day.  And  he  meant  they  should  consider  his 
preserving,  or  restoring  the  health  of  men,  as  a  part  of  that 
providential  work,  which  it  became  him,  as  God  over  all,  to 
carry  on  Avithout  regard  to  the  distinction  of  days.  Jesus 
was  the  S'on  of  man^  as  well  as  the  Son  of  God.  As  a  man 
he  kept  the  sabbath-day  holy,  accordii}g  to  the  command- 
ment. He  is  called  the  carpenter.  It  is  altogether  probable 
that  Avhile  he  lived  with  his  lather  Joseph,  he  pursued  this 
occupation  with  him.  Now  let  me  ask,  is  there  a  single 
hearer,  who  entertains  an  idea,  that  Jesus,  as  a  carpenter, 
worked  on  the  sabbath-day?  Was  it  such  work  that  he 
meant  when  lie  said,  "And  /  work."  If  he  had  made  a 
practice  of  pursuing  such  work  on  the  sabbath-day,  it  must 
have  been  known ;  and  it  would  certainly  have  been  ob- 
jected against  him,  instead  of  their  objecting  against  him, 
that  he  removed  a  disease  of  thirty  and  eight  years  standing, 
merely  by  a  word's  speaking. 

Acts  i.  12. 
Then  returned  they  unto  Jerusalem^  from  the  mount 
called  Olivet^  ivhlch  is  from  Jerusalem  a  sahhath-dafs 
journey. 

1.  It  may  be  proper  to  ascertain  the  distance  of  mount 
Olivet  from  Jerusalem.     By  turning  your  eye  to  Zechariah 
6* 


66  DISCOURSES   ON  THE  SABBATH. 

xiv.  3,  you  will  see  that  it  is  contiguous  to  Jerusalem: 
"  And  his  feet  shall  stand  in  that  day  upon  the  mount  of 
Olives,  which  is  before  Jerusalem  on  the  east."  By  com- 
paring the  passage  which  is  now  under  consideration  witli 
Luke  xxiv.  50,  we  learn  that  Bethany  was  on  mount  Olivet : 
and  from  John.  xi.  18,  we  learn  that  Bethany  was  about 
fifteen  furlongs  off  from  Jerusalem.  Fifteen  furlongs  are  a 
little  less  than  two  miles.  It  was  not  therefore  to  exceed 
two  miles  from  mount  Olivet  to  Jerusalem. 

2.  It  may  be  proper  to  inquire  why  this  distance  is  ex- 
pressed by  a  sahbath-day^s  journey.  Let  it  be  remembered, 
that  the  Holy  Spirit  had  a  reason  for  directing  the  writer  to 
this  particular  mode  of  expression  in  telling  the  distance 
from  the  mount  of  Olives  to  Jerusalem.  By  this  we  are 
taught,  that  "  a  sabbath-day's  journey"  is  not  more  than  two 
miles.  And  this  is  as  much  as  to  tell  us,  that  it  is  no  day 
to  pursue  journeys  on  secular  business :  for  those  who  are 
pursuing  such  journeys  would  not  think  of  moving  forward, 
for  the  sake  of  getting  two  miles  on  their  way.  It  is  proba- 
ble that  in  the  land  of  Israel,  thickly  inhabited  as  that 
country  was,  the  extremes  of  a  congregation,  meeting  at 
the  same  synagogue,  were  not  more  than  two  miles  from 
the  centre ;  from  which  circumstance  it  might  become  usual 
to  term  this  distance  "  a  sabbath-d^!y^;  journey."  If  circum- 
stances are  such  as  to  render  it  necessary  to  enlarge  the 
limits  of  a  congregation,  then  it  will  take  more  furlongs  to 
make  a  sabbath-day's  journey.  In  fine,  a  sabbath-day's 
journey,  according  to  the  true  spirit  of  it,  is  to  each  one  of 
us,  the  same  as  the  distance  from  his  own  house  to  the 
house  of  God. 

But  pursuing  journeys  of  business  or  of  pleasure,  and  that 
without  restraint,  not  only  pollutes  the  sabbath,  but  is  among 
the  things  which  in  our  land  greatly  pollute  it.  It  would 
appear  worse  than  laboring  in  the  field,  if  it  were  not  sanc- 
tioned by  the  practice  of  so  many.    It  is  as  much  our  work 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  67 

as  labor  in  the  field.  The  traveller  interrupts  more  people 
in  their  sanctification  of  holy  time,  and  places  his  bad  exam- 
ple before  a  greater  number  of  observers,  than  the  man  who 
labors  in  his  field.  He  is  the  means  of  preventing  the  gate- 
keeper, (if  he  travels  on  a  turnpike,)  from  attending  on 
public  worship ;  and  sometimes  from  attending  on  the  pri- 
vate duties  of  religion.  By  means  of  the  general  practice 
of  travelling,  there  are  seasons  of  the  year,  when  the  sabbath 
is  in  many  public  houses  nearly  secularized,  and  reduced 
to  a  level  with  other  days.*  The  smith  is  tempted  by  the 
traveller,  to  help  him  on  his  way,  by  those  repairs  which 

*  I  have  no  doubt  but  there  are  many  tavern-keepers,  who,  with  their  fami- 
lies, feel  burthened  with  this  profanation  of  the  sabbath ;  and  long  to  be  freed 
from  such  a  bustle  and  hurry  of  business  on  this  day  of  rest.  The  tavern- 
keeper,  who  is  pleased  with  it,  because  it  brings  money  into  his  coffer,  resem- 
bles those  popish  priests  who  get  a  great  revenue  by  selling  to  the  people 
indulgences  to  sin.  But  perhaps  there  are  some  of  those  who  keep  houses  of 
entertainment,  who  think  it  would  not  relieve  them  from  their  cares,  if  travel- 
lers were  to  rest  from  their  journeying ;  as  they  would  still  have  their  share 
of  travellers  to  provide  for  during  the  sabbath.  To  this  difficulty,  it  may  be 
replied  :  1.  If  these  travellers  are  doing  right  in  resting  during  the  sabbath,  it 
is  no  sin  to  provide  for  them.  They  are  your  lawful  family,  if  you  keep  a 
public  house,  and  thus  are  to  be  considered  in  the  light  of  boarders.  God  by 
the  law  of  the  sabbath  tells  them  to  rest  from  tlieir  ii-ork,  (which  is  now  jour- 
neying,) and  to  put  up  at  your  house,  where  the  sabbath  has  overtaken  them ; 
and  therefore  he  teUs  you  to  take  care  of  them  as  a  part  of  your  family.  2.  It 
is  not  near  as  penjlexing  to  have  a  steady  family  to  provide  for,  even  if  its 
steadiness  lasts  but  for  twenty-four  hours,  as  to  have  the  same  number  con- 
tinually coming  and  going ;  and  you  know  not  what  to  depend  upon.  3.  If 
houses  of  entrrtainment  are  more  desirous  of  a  holy  resting  on  the  sabbath 
than  of  making  money,  they  might,  in  the  case  of  most  travellers,  dispense 
with  maki.ig  any  extra  preparations,  intimating  that  the  bill  would  be  made 
out  accordingly.  Good  breeding,  if  no  higher  principle  existed,  one  would 
think,  would  induce  travellers  to  be  less  particular,  that  the  family  might  have 
as  little  diversion  as  possible  from  the  appropriate  duties  of  the  Lord's  day. 
4.  If  tru\  oiling  on  the  sabbath  were  to  be  considered  as  unlawful,  and  so  be 
laid  aside,  many  who  now  are  on  the  road  on  the  sabbath,  would  so  order  their 
journey  as  not  to  be  from  home  on  this  day.  Such  a  reformatior ,  without 
dimjiiiahing  the  quantity  of  travel,  would  lessen  the  number  of  travel]  ?rs  which 
wov.xd  be  from  home  over  the  sabbath. 


68  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABEATH. 

belong  to  his  occupation.  And  even  the  farmer  living  on 
the  great  road,  is  sometimes  drawn  into  a  profanation  of  the 
sabbath  by  the  sohcitation  of  the  teamster  who  wants  his 
assistance  to  enable  him  to  rise  a  difficult  liill ;  or  lo  extri- 
cate him  from  some  other  embarrassment.  To  all  the  other 
aggravations  of  this  particular  way  of  profaning  holy  time, 
that  already  suggested  is  no  small  onep.'namely,  that  it  sets 
an  evil  example  before  a  great  number  of  people,  who  are 
all  of  them  apt  enough  to  profane  the  sabbath,  without  be- 
ing emboldened  to  do  it  by  the  bad  example  of  others. 

If  to  all  this  it  should  be  replied,  'It  is  a  genera]  practice, 
and  therefore  ought  to  be  tolerated  ;'  let  me  beg  you  to  read 
Exod.  xxiii.  2;  "Thou  shalt  not  follow  a  7nultitiide  to  do 
evil."  The  greater  the  number  who  are  in  this  practice, 
and  the  nearer  the  custom  has  become,  as  it  were,  a  law, 
the  more  alarm  ought  to  be  excited.  When  the  most  evi- 
dent transgressions  of  God's  law  are  sanctioned  by  general 
custom .)  then  may  we  expect  to  hear  the  Holy  One  of  Israel 
say,  "  Shall  not  I  visit  for  these  things,  and  shall  not  my 
soul  be  avenged  on  such  a  nation  as  this?" 

3.  It  is  perhaps  w^orthy  of  remark,  that  this  mention  of  a 
sabbath-day's  journey  was  posterior  to  the  death  and  resur- 
rection of  our  Lord.  From  this  we  infer,  that  even  as  late 
as  this,  the  Spirit  of  inspiration  delighted  to  honor  the 
Aveekly  sabbath,  by  teaching  us  that  it  was  not  a  day  in 
which  to  pursue  our  common  journeys. 

As  journeying  is,  at  this  day,  one  of  the  most  common 
profanations  of  the  sabbath  ; — one  in  which  all  classes,  high 
and  low,  rich  and  poor,  (not  excepting  church  communi- 
cants) partake ; — and  since  it  is  such  a  profanation  of  the 
sabbath  as  is  either  justified  or  extenuated,  even  by  some  of 
those  who  profess  a  regard  for  the  day,  it  may  perhaps  be 
useful  to  dwell  longer  on  this  part  of  our  subject,  by  at- 
tempting an  answer  to  some  of  the  most  popular  objections, 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  69 

which  are  made  against  the  ideas  which  have  now  been 
advanced. 

The  following  are  some  of  the  objections  which  are 
made  :* 

1.  "  When  we  are  on  a  journey,  we  are  away  from  our 
families,  and  we  want  very  much  to  get  home." 

Does  your  being  away  from  your  families  give  you  any 
more  right  to  transgress  an  express  command  of  God,  than 
though  you  were  at  home  with  them  ?  If  so,  when  you 
are  from  home,  you  may  take  the  Lord's  name  in  vain 
and  be  guiltless ;  when  you  are  away  from  your  families, 
you  need  not  keep  the  sixth,  seventh  or  eighth  command- 
ments, but  may  kill,  commit  adultery  and  steal.  "  But  we 
want  to  be  with  our  families."  It  is  agreeable  to  see  men 
love  their  families,  and  to  manifest  it  either  by  keeping 
at  home,  or  returning  home  as  soon  as  their  business  and 
duty  will  permit.  But  let  me  ask  my  brethren,  whether 
their  families  lie  upon  their  hearts  with  so  much  weight, 
that  business  of  great  consequence  would  not  detain  them 
one  day  longer  ?  Is  not  keeping  the  commands  of  God  of 
as  much  consequence,  as  worldly  business  ?  Brethren,  if 
we  love  our  families,  let  us  be  exhorted  not  to  travel  on  the 
Lord's  day,  for  the  sake  of  being  with  them  one  day  sooner. 
We  had  better  leave  them  in  the  care  of  our  heavenly 
Father,  than  to  displease  him  for  the  sake  of  seeing  them 
the  sooner.  "Blessed  is  the  man  who  feareth  the  Lord, 
that  delighteth  greatly  in  his  commandments ;  his  seed 
shall  be  mighty  upon  the  earth."  It  may  in  this  connexion 
be  urged ;  "  our  minds  will  be  upon  our  journey,  whether  we 
pursue  it  or  not ;  therefore  we  had  as  good  go  on,  as  lie  still 
and  keep  thinking  of  our  journey."     Why  do  you  not  say 

♦  These  objections,  with  the  answers  to  them,  will  be  found  in  the  Con. 
Evan.  Magazine,  Vol.  v.  First  Series.  The  author,  in  adopting  these  into  his 
work,  does  not  feel  that  he  has  abused  any  other  writer ;  or  subjected  himself 
to  the  charge  of  vlagiarisvi. 


70  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

SO  about  the  other  commands : — that  you  had  as  good  oponly 
break  them  as  have  any  desire  that  way?  If,  then,  you 
covet  any  thing  which  is  your  neighbor's,  you  may  as  well 
steal  it.  "  Resist  the  devil,"  is  the  command,  and  the  prom- 
ise is,  "  he  will  flee  from  you." 

2.  "Works  of  necessity  and  mercy  may  be  done." 

It  will  be  granted,  that  to  heal  a  broken  bone,  you  may 
ride  a  distance  even  on  the  Lord's  day,  to  obtain  the  aid  of 
the  surgeon.  To  relieve  a  distressed  and  starving  family, 
whose  distressing  circumstances  have  just  come  to  your 
knowledge,  you  may  take  the  first  moment,  though  it  be 
the  Lord's  time,  to  carry  them  some  relief.  Here  mercy  is 
to  be  preferred  before  sacrifice.  In  this  sense,  works  of 
necessity  and  mercy  may  be  done  on  the  Lord's  day.  But 
it  is  exceedingly  wrong  to  apply  this  rule  to  our  common 
journeying.  I  appeal  to  husbandmen, — Is  not  the  harvest 
more  pressing  than  journeying?  Yet  God  himself  has 
said,  "  In  earing  time  and  in  harvest  thou  shalt  rest."  Is 
travelling,  in  its  very  nature,  a  work  of  necessity?  then  let 
a  man  only  make  this  his  constant  employment,  and  the 
fourth  commandment  becomes  wholly  inapplicable  to  him. 
Is  this,  then,  the  true  meaning  of  the  command,  "  Remem- 
ber the  sabbath-day  to  keep  it  holy,"  except  you  are  on  a 
journey  ? 

3.  "  But  we  do  keep  the  sabbath-day  holy,  though  we 
pursue  our  journey  ;  for  we  can  have  as  good  thoughts  on 
the  road,  as  if  we  were  to  suspend  our  journey." 

To  this  we  answer;  That  having  good  thoughts  does 
not,  of  itself,  constitute  a  sanctification  of  the  sabbath.  A 
man  may  think  of  God  and  nothing  else  all  the  day,  and 
yet  not  keep  the  day  holy.  There  is  an  external  as  well  as 
an  internal  sanctification  of  the  sabbath.  If  the  external  be 
wanting,  we  do  not  keep  the  sabbath  holy. — When  man 
was  in  a  state  of  innocency,  his  thoughts  were  all  good  and 
holy ;  yet,  even  then,  he  was  obliged  to  sanctify  the  seventh 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  ^  71 

day  in  distinction  from  the  other  days  of  the  week.  Sanc- 
tifying the  sabbath  must  mean,  then,  something  more  than 
havins:  pious  thoughts.  The  children  of  God  are  some- 
times favored  with  remarkable  nearness  to  God  on  week 
days,  while  they  are  pursuing  their  secular  business,  while 
they  are  laboring  in  their  shops,  or  in  their  fields,  or  while 
their  hands  take  hold  on  the  distaff;  but  still  this  is  not 
keeping  sabbath-day.  And  we  should  all  think  they  did 
very  wrong,  to  plead  the  lawfulness  of  pursuing  these  occu- 
pations on  the  sabbath,  by  saying,  that  they  could  have  as 
good  thoughts  while  at  work  in  their  houses,  shops  and 
fields,  as  if  they  were  worshipping  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord.  Let  us,  my  brethren,  be  ashamed  to  make  such  a 
weak  objection  as  this.  If  we  hold  it  up  to  the  light,  we 
shall  see  it  to  be  frivolous.  Our  having  pious  meditations 
on  the  road,  no  more  makes  a  sanctification  of  the  sabbath, 
than  it  would,  if  we  were  to  have  the  same  meditations 
while  laboring  in  our  fields.  Here  I  would  remark,  that 
though  the  husbandman  has  precious  thoughts  in  his  field 
on  a  week  day,  yet  he  would  have  no  reason  to  expect  to  be 
thus  favored  of  God,  if  he  were  to  go  into  his  field  on  the 
Lord's  holy  day. — So  the  traveller,  who  is  favored  with  the 
most  delightful  communion  with  his  heavenly  Father  on 
Saturday,  would  have  no  reason  to  expect  the  continuance 
of  this  inestimable  favor  the  next  day,  if  he  were  to  pursue 
his  journey.  We  have  no  right  to  seek,  nor  reason  to  ex- 
pect communion  with  Gocl,  out  of  the  ways  of  his  appoint- 
ment. If  we  would  enjoy  his  favor,  we  must,  like  Enoch 
and  Noah,  walk  with  God. 

4.  "  We  sometimes  fall  in  among  a  very  wicked  people 
on  the  sabbath,  where  they  pay  no  attention  to  the  day, 
except  it  be  to  behave  worse  than  on  any  other  days ;  in 
such  a  case,  we  think  we  had  better  go  on  our  journey,  than 
to  stay  in  such  company." 

The  very  reason  stated  in  the  objection  for  proceeding  on 


72  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  S.^EBATH. 

your  journey,  is  a  powerful  reason  against  it.  The  com- 
mand of  the  Savior,  is,  "  Let  your  light  shine  before  men, 
that  tliey  seeing  your  good  works  may  glorify  your  Father 
who  is  in  heaven."  Now  let  me  ask,  Where  in  the  world 
do  people  need  the  light  of  your  holy  example,  more  than 
in  such  a  dark  place  as  the  objection  supposes?  And  in 
what  do  they  need  your  example  more,  than  in  the  sanctifi- 
cation  of  the  sabbath  ?  If  your  hearts  are  full  of  love  to 
God,  and  to  the  souls  of  men,  can  you  let  so  fair  an  oppor- 
tunity of  doing  good  pass  unimproved  ?  The  Lord  has  in 
his  providence  cast  your  lot  for  one  sabbath  among  those 
who  greatly  pollute  this  holy  day.  You  must  stay  and  re- 
prove them.  Good  example  is  the  most  striking  kind  of 
reproof.  If  they  see  you  lying  by  from  your  journey  all 
the  sabbath,  for  no  other  reason  only  because  it  is  the  Lord^s 
time  and  not  i/ours,  it  cannot  fail  to  arrest  their  attention, 
even  though  you  should  not  speak  one  word  on  the  duty 
of  observing  the  day.  This  would  command  more  atten- 
tion, and  be  likely  to  do  more  good,  than  all  you  could  pos- 
sibly sal/  on  the  duty  of  observing  the  commandment,  pro- 
vided you  did  not  observe  it  yourself  Words  cost  but 
little,  but  there  is  some  expense  of  time  and  money  in  lying 
by  at  an  inn  one  whole  day.  I  know  one  man,  who  had 
his  attention  much  called  up  to  the  duty  of  sanctifying  the 
sabbath,  by  the  circumstance  of  having  a  traveller  put  up  at 
his  tavern  during  this  holy  day.  If  such  examples  prove 
effectual  only  one  time  in  a  thousand,  it  is  worth  our  while 
to  set  them  before  our  fellow  sinners  continually. 

The  objectors  suppose  that  the  sabbath  cannot  be  enjoyed 
among  these  ungodly  people  so  well  as  on  the  road  :  but  let 
me  ask  such,  whether  they  have  made  a  trial,  to  see  how 
well  they  can  enjoy  this  consecrated  day  in  a  public  house  ? 
Perhaps  you  could  obtain  a  chamber,  where  you  might 
spend  the  day  in  secret  duties,  if  there  be  no  public  worship 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  73 

in  the  place.*  If  the  weather  be  mild,  you  might  in  al- 
most any  part  of  the  country  find,  in  some  neighboring 
woods  or  orchard,  a  place  to  pray,  read  and  meditate;  and 
this  would  be  a  suitable  way  to  fill  up  this  day  of  heaven. 
If  you  have  not  tried  this  method  of  spending  the  sabbath 
when  on  a  journey,  you  ought  not  to  say,  that  the  wicked- 
ness of  the  place  makes  it  necessary  that  you  should  pro- 
ceed on  your  way.  But  supposing  you  can  have  no  retire- 
ment at  all,  (which  is  hardly  a  supposable  case,)  I  think  you 
have  reason  to  expect  a  good  sabbath,  if  you  conscientiously 
refrain  from  proceeding  on  your  journey,  which  is  now 
your  work.  "  If  thou  turn  away  thy  foot  from"  encroaching 
upon  "the  sabbath,  from  doing  thy  pleasure  on  my  holy 
day,"  saith  Jehovah — "  then  thou  shalt  delight  thyself  in  the 
Lord,  and  I  will  cause  thee  to  ride  upon  the  high  places  of 
the  earth," — i.  e.  I  will  make  thee  prosper  in  spirituals  and 
in  temporals — thou  shalt  have  much  delight  in  communion 
with  thy  God,  and  he  will  bless  thy  substance.  This  will 
prepare  us  to  answer  another  objection. 

5.  ''  It  is  very  expensive  to  lie  by  a  whole  day,  when  we 
are  on  a  journey,  and  are  all  the  while  living  upon  our 
money." 

To  this  objection  we  answer,  first.  That  profaning  the 
Lord's  day  is  a  poor  way  to  make  money  or  save  expenses. 
"Will  a  man  rob  God,"  to  save  expense?  Is  not  this  the 
way  to  bring  down  his  curse  on  your  blessings?  Do  not 
you,  who  believe  the  weekly  sabbath  to  be  a  divine  institu- 

*  If  those  who  make  the  above  objection  against  lying  by  on  the  sabbath,  do 
not  cease  to  proceed  on  their  journey,  as  soon  as  they  come  among  a  people, 
who  attend  public  worship  ;  or  if  they  do  not  stop  their  travelling  at  the  first 
house,  public  or  private,  where  the  sabbath  appears  to  be  reverenced,  (pro- 
vided they  can  have  entertainment,)  then  it  is  manifest,  that  the  reason  which 
they  offer  for  travelling  is  not  the  one  which  really  influences  them ;  but  is  in- 
vented, either  to  still  an  accusing  conscience,  or  to  stop  the  mouth  of  the 
brother,  who  is  so  kind  and  faithful  as  to  reprove  them  for  disobedience  to 
God's  holy  commands, 
7 


74  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

tion,  also  believe  that  a  nation,  which  carefully  observe  the 
institution,  have  reason  to  expect  even  greater  temporal 
prosperity,  than  a  nation  which  altogether  disregard  it, 
though  this  disregard  gives  them  one  more  day  in  the  week 
for  labor?  Why  then  have  we  any  reason  to  expect  to 
increase  our  wealth,  by  taking  the  Lord^s  time  for  our  \ 
journey?  It  is  infinitely  easy  for  God  so  to  order  his  provi-| 
deuces,  that  what  we  appear  to  gain,  by  robbing  him  of  the 
time  which  he  has  reserved  to  himself,  we  should  lose  in 
some  other  way,  even  before  we  have  accomplished  our 
journey. 

To  the  objection  now  under  consideration,  I  would  an- 
swer, in  the  second  place ;  Though  it  be  expensive  to  lie 
by  when  we  are  out  from  home,  still  this  is  no  reason  why 
we  should  not  do  it ;  for  it  is  also  expensive  to  rest  from 
labor  when  we  are  at  home.  A  large  family  will  consume 
several  dollars'  worth  of  provisions  on  the  sabbath,  and 
they  are  earning  nothing.  Now,  why  may  it  not  be  plead 
in  favor  of  their  being  at  work  in  the  field,  or  in  the  loom ; 
that  it  is  very  expensive  for  so  many  to  be  eating  and 
drinking,  while  they  are  earning  nothing?  The  same  ar- 
gument, which  you  use  to  push  you  on  your  journey,  you 
may  use  to  drive  your  sons  into  the  field,  and  your  daugh- 
ters to  their  several  domestic  employments.  It  would  be 
trifling  to  endeavor  to  make  a  distinction  by  saying,  "but 
at  a  tavern  I  have  to  pay  out  money  for  my  sabbath's  pro- 
vision, while  I  have  provision  laid  up  for  my  family  at 
home."  What  they  eat  and  drink  at  home,  either  cost  you 
money,  or  would  have  fetched  you  money ;  therefore  you 
may  just  as  well  say,  "  I  cannot  afford  to  have  my  family 
lie  by  upon  the  sabbath  ;  for  they  are  upon  expense."  This 
objection  against  the  expense  of  lying  by  on  the  sabbath, 
appears  to  be  founded  almost  wholly  in  covetousness,  or 
that  love  of  the  world,  which  is  inconsistent  with  the  love 
of  the  Father:  and  yet  this  is  probably  the  greatest  and 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  75" 

most  influential  of  all  the  objections.  The  losing^  of  one 
clay's  advance  in  our  journey,  together  with  the  bill  of  ex- 
pense incurred  in  the  mean  time,  no  doubt,  does  more 
towards  making  people  travel  on  the  sabbath,  than  all  other 
reasons  put  together.  But  can  they,  Avho  seek  first  the 
kingdom  of  God — can  they,  who  henceforth  live  not  unto 
themselves,  but  unto  him,  who  died  for  them — can  they, 
whose  treasure  is  in  heaven— can  they,  who  call  the  sab- 
bath a  delight,  the  queen  of  days,  and  the  day  of  heaven — 
can  they  offer  such  selfish  reasons  for  trampling  the  holy 
sabbath  into  the  dust?  ^'Let  us  awake  to  righteousness 
and  sin  not," 

But  some  man  will  say,  '-'These  answers  are  all  good, 
when  applied  to  Christian  professors.  They  ought  not  to 
travel  on  the  sabbath,  and  it  is  a  shame  to  their  profession 
when  they  do ;  but  /  make  no  pretensions  to  religion, 
though  I  believe  the  Bible  to  be  the  word  of  God."  Do  you 
think,  then,  my  friend,  that  your  making  no  profession, 
gives  you  any  liberty  to  transgress  an  acknowledged  law  of 
God  ?  If  you  should  command  all  your  children  to  obey  a 
certain  precept,  and  only  half  of  them  should  explicitly 
promise  obedience,  would  the  other  half  be  under  no  obliga- 
tion ;  or  under  less  obligation  to  obey  you  ?  Why  do  you 
not,  on  the  same  ground  you  have  taken,  plead  an  exemp- 
tion from  yielding  obedience  to  the  5th,  6th,  7th  and  8th 
commandments  ?  When  you  are  at  home,  you  do  not  hold 
that  it  is  right  for  you  to  work  in  your  field  on  the  Lord's 
day,  any  more  than  for  your  neighbor  who  is  a  professor ; 
why,  then,  should  you  have  any  more  right  than  he,  to  pur- 
sue joux  journey  7  Besides,  my  friend,  if  you  are  no  Chris- 
tian, it  is  time  that  you  were  a  Christian.  To  attain  to  this, 
the  word  of  God  orives  this  direction  amonof  others — "  Let 
the  wicked /or^rt^e  his  wayP  Again,  it  is  said,  "  Cease  to 
do  evil,  learn  to  do  well."  Certainly,  our  impenitence  can- 
not be  offered  as  a  reasonable  excuse  for  any  neglect  of 


76  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

duty,  when  the  impenitence  itself  is  considered  as  highly 
criminal.  "  God  commandeth  all  men  every  where  to  re- 
pent." He  also  requires  fruits  meet  for  repentance.  He  re- 
quires every  thing  which  is  right,  and  forbids  every  thing 
which  is  wrong ;  and  these  requirements  and  prohibitions 
are  binding  on  all  men.  Let  no  one  therefore  plead  an 
exemption  from  the  duty  of  resting  on  the  sabbath  accord- 
ing to  the  commandment ;  or  an  exemption  from  any  other 
duty  enjoined  in  the  word  of  God. 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  TT 


FOURTH    DISCOURSE. 

John  v.  39. 
Search  the  Scriptures. 


All  believers  in  the  inspiration  of  the  scriptures,  are  agreed 
in  the  belief  of  the  Old  Testament  sabbath.  They  all  be- 
lieve, there  was  a  sabbath-day ;  but  they  do  not  all  believe 
there  is  a  sabbath-day  now  under  the  present  dispensation. 
Here  let  it  be  remarked,  That  if  the  sabbath  ever  came  to 
an  end,  it  could  not  be  until  the  death  of  Christ ;  for  the 
Old  Testament  dispensation  lasted  until  that  time :  therefore 
nothing  from  the  example  of  Christ,  or  of  his  disciples, 
while  he  was  with  them,  can  be  pleaded  against  the  present 
existence  of  a  sabbath,  without  making  it  operate  against 
the  unexceptionableness  of  their  obedience  to  the  divine  law. 
Christ  evidently  thought,  that  in  fulfilling  all  righteousness, 
it  behoved  him  to  observe  all  the  peculiar  prescriptions  of 
the  Old  Testament.  He  attended  the  passover,  and  the 
other  Jewish  feasts,  not  only  while  a  child,  but  after  he  en- 
tered on  his  public  ministry,  and  even  until  his  death.  He 
required  a  leper  whom  he  healed,  to  shoAv  himself  to  the 
priest,  and  offer  for  his  cleansing  what  Moses  had  com- 
manded. It  is  a  common  thing,  if  I  mistake  not,  for  those 
who  consider  the  law  of  the  sabbath  as  binding  only  upon 
the  ancient  church,  to  make  much  use  of  the  example  of 
Christ,  to  justify  their  sentiment.  But  it  is  wrong  to  make 
this  use  of  it ;  for  if  we  are  not  bound  to  keep  the  sabbath, 
Jesus  Christ  was  bound  to  keep  it  as  holy  as  the  fourth 
commandment  required.  Let  therefore  a  tender  regard  to 
the  character  of  our  Savior,  induce  every  one  to  relinquish 


78  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

this  argument^  which  has  been  brought  to  favor  the  abro- 
gation of  the  sabbath. 

Instead  of  further  pursuing  my  plan  of  going  from  one 
scripture  to  another  in  regular  order,  making  remarks  on 
each  ;  I  propose  to  devote  this  discourse  to  prove  the  ferpe- 
tuity  and  change  of  the  sabbath.  In  doing  this,  those  ap- 
propriate passages,  which  are  still  forward  of  us  in  the 
sacred  volume,  will  naturally  be  introduced. 

First.  A  few  arguments  will  be  brought  to  prove  the 
'perpetuity  of  the  weekly  sabbath.  This  will  require  the 
repetition  of  some  of  those  arguments  which  have  been  al- 
ready used  in  another  place.  The  perpetual  obligation  of 
keeping  holy  to  the  Lord  one  day  every  week,  is  capable  of 
being  proved  by  such  arguments  as  these  : 

1.  The  sabbath  was  instituted  before  the  fall,  and  could 
not  therefore  be  a  ceremonial  institution.  The  various 
sacrifices  and  washings,  of  which  we  read  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, were  added  to  the  moral  law  because  of  transgres- 
sions. [Gal.  iii.  19.].  These  observances  were  binding  on 
the  church  until  the  great  sacrifice  was  offered,  and  the 
Spirit  was  marvellously  poured  out ;  then  they  ceased  to  be 
binding.  But  how  can  the  abrogation  of  these  superadded 
institutions,  affect  the  existence  of  the  weekly  sabbath,  which 
was  established  by  the  Creator  before  there  was  even  any 
room  made  for  their  establishment  ?  If  man  had  not  be- 
come an  apostate,  the  law  of  ceremonies  could  not  have 
been :  but  the  sabbath  existed  before  man  apostatized,  and 
would  have  continued  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the 
world,  (if  an  end  had  ever  come,)  provided  man  had  re- 
mained innocent.  Does  any  one  hesitate,  whether  the 
weekly  sabbath  would  have  been  a  perpetually  binding  in- 
stitution, during  the  age  of  the  world,  if  man  had  not  fallen 
from  his  original  rectitude  ?  I  think  no  one  can  have  any 
hesitation  on  the  subject.  How  then  can  it  be,  that  the  in- 
troduction of  sin,  together  with  the  plan  of  redemption, 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  79 

should  set  aside  our  obligation  to  keep  holy  to  the  Lord  the 
weekly  sabbath?  As  well  might  it  be  supposed,  that  when 
the  ceremonial  law  was  abrogated  the  law  of  marriage  went 
with  it.  Marriage  and  the  sabbath  were  both  instituted  at 
the  same  time,  and  before  man  became  a  fallen  creature. 
The  fall  did  not  destroy  the  institution  of  marriage.  It  was 
before  the  fall,  and  after  the  fall : — It  was  under  the  law,  and 
existed  after  the  law  of  ceremonies  had  vanished  away.  All 
these  chanfifes  in  the  state  of  man,  and  the  state  of  the 
church,  produced  no  change  in  this  institution,  which  was 
cotemporary  with  that  of  the  holy  sabbath.  During  all 
these  changes,  it  is  still  the  will  of  the  Creator,  '  that  a  man 
should  leave  father  and  mother  and  cleave  to  his  wife,  and 
that  they  two  should  be  no  more  twain,  but  one  flesh.'  So, 
during  ail  these  changes,  the  sabbath,  which  was  divinely 
instituted  before  them  all,  must  be  supposed  to  exist. 

2.  The  perpetuity  of  the  weekly  sabbath,  may  be  argued 
from  the  perpetuity  of  the  v^eek  itself ;  or  the  continued 
practice  of  reckoning  seven  days  together  into  one  portion 
of  time,  and  then  beginning  a  new  series  of  days  until  the 
number  of  seven  is  again  completed.  The  dividing  of  time 
into  days  and  years,  is  natural ;  but  it  is  not  so  with 
dividing  it  into  tveeks.  No  reason,  that  I  know  of,  can  be 
assigned  for  this,  but  that  which  is  contained  in  the  scriptu- 
ral account  of  the  creation  ;  that  in  six  days  God  created 
the  heavens  and  the  earth,  and  rested  the  seventh  day. 
Thus  God,  the  Creator,  made  the  week  of  seven  days; 
assigning  six  days  to  labor  and  one  to  a  holy  rest.  His 
most  express  object,  in  this  division  of  time,  appears  to  be 
the  establishment  of  the  sabbatical  day.  And  it  would  be 
natural  to  suppose,  that  if  he  intended  at  the  commencement 
of  the  Christian  era,  or  any  other  period,  to  abolish  the 
weekly  sabbath,  he  would  abolish  the  week  itself,  which 
seems  to  have  been  formed  on  purpose  to  give  existence  and 
notoriety  to  the  sabbath.    When  the  French  Convention 


80  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

chose  to  annihilate  the  weekly  sabbath,  they  wisely  struck 
the  axe  at  the  root  of  the  tree,  by  annihilating  the  week 
itself.  Instead  of  reckoning  time  by  weeks,  they  determined 
to  reckon  by  decades^  that  is,  periods  of  ten  days.  But  we  do 
not  find  that  the  Founder  of  the  Christian  religion,  when  he 
appeared  on  earth,  changed  the  weeks  into  decades ;  or  into 
any  thing  else.  He  found  seven-day  weeks,  and  he  left 
such  weeks,  as  is  manifest  from  the  whole  New  Testament. 
This  is  a  presumptive  proof,  that  the  sabbath,  that  eminent 
day  of  the  week  for  which  the  week  was  made,  is  still  to  be 
continued,  with  all  its  pemliar  duties. 

3.  We  must  be  allowed  to  repeat  the  argument,  derived 
from  God's  placing  the  law  of  the  sabbath  in  the  midst  of 
nine  other  commandments,  which,  it  is  acknowledged  on  all 
hands,  are  binding  on  Christians^  as  much  as  they  were  on 
Jews.  Js  it  not  very  difficult  to  account  for  it,  that  Jehovah, 
who  is  a  God  of  order,  and  not  of  confusion,  should  place  a 
ceremonial  institute,  which  was  to  vanish  away,  in  such  a 
situation  as  this?  Is  there  no  important  instruction  to  be 
gained  by  these  commandments  being  written  on  stone  7 
There  were  other  sabbaths  apix)inted  to  the  Jewish  church, 
which  were  not  from  the  beginning ;  these  were  not  written 
upon  the  tables  of  stone.  Commandments  perpetually  oblig- 
atory, it  is  true,  were  written  upon  parchment,  or  paper; 
but  when  so  few  as  ten  short  commandments  were  written 
upon  stones,  and  that  with  the  Jinger  of  God,  can  we  sup- 
pose that  one  of  these  ten  was  a  ceremonial  precept,  which 
has  long  since  vanished  away  ?  I  fear  the  sentiment  will 
lead,  (whatever  may  now  be  thought  of  its  harmlessness,) 
to  make  light  of  our  obligation  to  obey  the  other  nine  com- 
mandments, which  by  the  same  finger  of  God  were  written 
on  the  same  tables  of  stone.  If  we  think  that  Christ  has 
abolished  one  of  the  ten  commandments,  we  shall  flatter 
ourselves  that  he  has,  at  least  softened  down  the  others; 
until  we  make  the  easiness  of  his  yoke  to  consist  in  his 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  81 

giving  us  liberty  unrestrainedly  to  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh 
and  of  the  mind. 

4.  Stated  seasotis  of  public  worship  are  foretold  as  exist- 
ing in  gospel  days.  Isa.  Ixvi.  23;  "And  it  shall  come 
to  pass,  that  from  one  new  moon  to  another,  and  from  one 
sabbath  to  another,  shall  all  flesh  come  to  worship  before 
me,  saith  the  Lord."  It  will  be  granted  by  all,  that  this 
refers  to  the  gospel  times.  It  refers  particularly  to  the  times 
of  the  Millennium.  It  clearly  points  out  public  worship. 
It  also  shows  that  it  will  be  repeated  from  time  to  time  ;  and 
that  all  the  world  will  be  united  in  observing  the  same  peri- 
odical seasons  of  worship.  It  is  also  explicitly  said,  that 
this  public  worship  of  Jehovah  shall  be  performed  from  one 
sabbath  to  another. 

But  it  will  be  objected.  That  it  is  also  said,  that  it  will  be 
from  one  new  moo?i  to  another.  The  objector  would  argue, 
that  since  we  do  not  from  this  prediction  infer  the  continued 
observance  of  the  new  moon  sabbath,  neither  ought  we  to 
infer  the  continued  observance  of  the  weekly  sabbath.  We 
acknowledge,  that  the  continuance  of  Old  Testament  ordi- 
nances cannot  be  proved  from  the  application  of  their  distin- 
guishing names  to  the  ordinances  of  the  New  Testament ; 
for  the  prophets  made  use  of  the  things  which  then  were,  to 
express  the  things  which  were  to  come.  The  prediction 
which  is  now  under  our  eye,  proves  at  least,  that  in  gospel 
days  there  would  be  stated  and  frequent  seasons  of  publicly 
worshipping  God,  in  which  mankind  would  agree.  My 
present  object  is  not  so  much  to  disprove  the  continued 
observance  of  the  new  moon,  as  to  prove  that  under  the 
gospel  dispensation,  there  is  some  stated  time  to  be  devoted 
to  the  worship  of  God.  If  any  stated  time  is  to  be  devoted 
to  the  exercises  of  religion,  the  weekly  sabbath  certainly  has 
the^r^^  claim.  This  was  instituted  before  all  other  times ; 
even  before  the  revolt  of  man.  And  this  was  distinguished 
from  all  the  rest,  by  being  spoken  by  the  living  God  in  the 


B2  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

audience  of  the  chosen  people,  and  written  with  his  own 
finger  in  the  midst  of  the  moral  law.  If  among  all  the  holy- 
seasons  enjoined  on  the  Jewish  church,  any  one  has  come 
down  to  the  Christian  church,  I  think  there  can  be  no  man- 
ner of  doubt  but  it  must  be  that  which  was  first  enjoined  on 
the  human  race,  before  the  Jews  existed ;  and  which,  after 
their  existence,  was  revealed  to  them  in  such  a  way  as  to 
mark  its  pre-eminence  above  all  the  rest. 

In  connection  with  the  predictions  of  stated  and  periodi- 
cal seasons  of  worship,  to  be  observed  by  all  who  should 
embrace  the  gospel,  it  will  be  proper  to  notice,  that  the  piety 
of  gospel  converts  is  foretold  by  their  strict  and  conscien- 
tious observance  of  the  sabbath.  "Also  the  sons  of  the 
stranger,  that  join  themselves  to  the  Lord,  to  serve  him — 
every  one  that  keepeth  the  sabbath  from  polluting  it,  and 
taketh  hold  of  my  covenant;"  Isa.  Ivi.  6.  How  could  the 
prophet  speak  of  the  piety  of  Gentile  converts  in  gospel 
days,  as  manifesting  itself  by  keeping  the  sabbath  from  pol- 
luting it,  if  710  sabbath  was  to  exist  in  gospel  times  ? 

5.  The  same  reasons  exist  for  the  perpetuity  of  the  sab- 
bath, as  for  its  being  instituted :  and  no  reasons  exist  for 
its  discontinuance.  One  reason  given  for  the  institution  of 
a  weekly  sabbath,  is  the  need  of  a  resting  day.  This  is 
mentioned,  Deut.  v.  14 ;  "  That  thy  man-servant  and  thy 
onaid-servant  may  rest  as  well  as  thouP  All  will  see  in  a 
moment,  that  as  far  as  this  is  a  reason  in  favor  of  the  insti- 
tution, it  operates  equally  in  favor  of  its  continuance. 

Another  design  of  the  institution  of  the  sabbath,  was  to 
be  a  weekly  remembrancer  of  our  dependance  on  God,  for 
our  existence,  and  for  all  our  possessions.  The  weekly 
rest  is  a  standing  memorial  of  the  Mosaic  account  of  the 
creation ;  and  the  careful  observance  of  this  holy  day,  is  a 
repeated  acknowledgment  that  we  give  credit  to  this  account. 
And  though  the  holy  rest  is  now  changed  to  another  day, 
to  be  a  memorial  of  a  still  more  important  work  than  that 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  63 

of  creation,  it  does  not  cease  to  answer  its  first  design, 
namely,  to  remind  us,  that  in  six  days  God  created  the 
heavens  and  the  earth,  and  all  the  host  of  them. 

A  third  reason  for  the  continuance  of  the  sabbath,  is  its 
necessity  for  the  preservation  of  public  worship,  and  giving 
opportunity  for  religious  instructioti.  The  scriptures  make 
it  our  duty  to  worship,  not  only  every  one  in  his  closet,  and 
every  family  at  home,  but  that  congregations  should  assem- 
ble to  offer  up  united  prayers,  confessions  and  thanksgiv- 
ings to  the  common  Parent  of  us  all.  "  I  will  pay  my  vows 
unto  the  Lord  now  in  the  presence  of  all  his  people ;  in 
the  courts  of  the  Lord's  house."  Public  worship  is  greatly 
for  the  honor  of  God.  It  resembles  heaven,  where  great 
multitudes  unitedly  adore  and  praise  the  Lord.  Public 
worship  is  very  improving  to  the  piety  and  social  harmony 
of  those  who  heartily  engage  in  it.  But  public  worship 
cannot  be  attended,  without  a  public  day  of  worship.  If 
God  therefore  designed  that  public  worship  should  be  kept 
up  under  the  gospel,  (and  nothing  can  be  more  evident,)  his 
wisdom  would  certainly  lead  him  to  appoint  stated  seasons 
for  its  observance.  Religious  instruction  ought  to  be  com- 
municated, more  or  less,  every  day ;  but  public  instruction 
requires  a  particular  day,  as  well  as  a  place  of  assembling. 
The  command  to  the  gospel  teacher,  is,  "  Preach  the  word ; 
be  instant  in  season  ;  out  of  season."  This  command  sup- 
poses there  are  regular  and  stated  seasons  for  preaching  the 
word  of  God.  In  other  words,  it  supposes  a  sabbath-day. 
If  there  were  no  day  in  the  week  which,  by  way  of  emi- 
nence, was  a  day  of  religion,  religious  instruction  would 
probably  be  much  more  neglected  even  in  families.  God's 
design  to  perpetuate  holy  time  to  the  end  of  the  world, 
seems  then  nearly  as  evident  as  his  design  to  preserve  true 
religion  from  becoming  extinct.  For  if  it  be  so  essential  to 
the  preservation  of  religion  in  the  world,  that  time  should 
be   taken  for  public  worship  and   preaching  the  word,  it 


84  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

would  never  be  left  optional  with  us,  whether  to  take  this 
time,  or  not.  And  if  He,  who  is  the  only  Potentate,  had 
not  designated  the  very  time  to  be  devoted  to  pubhc  wor- 
ship and  instruction,  it  would  have  been  much  the  same,  as 
leaving  it  to  our  judgment  whether  or  not  to  take  any  time 
for  these  purposes.  If,  in  opposition  to  this,  it  should  be 
said ;  '  That  those  Christian  denominations,  which  do  not 
believe  that  God  has  fixed  upon  any  particular  time  to  be 
devoted  to  religion,  do  nevertheless  statedly  attend  on  the 
duties  of  public  worship ;'  it  may  be  accounted  for  in  one  or 
the  other  of  these  two  ways.  First.  They  may  have  some 
belief  still  remaining  upon  their  minds,  that  the  weekly 
sabbath  is  not  done  away.  Secondly.  If  they  do  not  be- 
lieve that  God  has  fixed  on  this  time,  and  obliged  them  to 
devote  it  to  his  worship,  still  the  circumstance,  that  the 
greater  part  of  the  Christian  world  do  believe  it,  and  there- 
fore statedly  observe  it  as  holy  time,  suggests  it  to  them  as 
a  time  proper  for  them^  also  to  meet  together  for  religious 
purposes.  For  let  it  be  remembered,  that  those  religious 
denominations,  and  particular  congregations,  which  do  not 
believe  that  God  has  given  the  Christian  church  a  holy 
day,  observe  the  same  as  a  day  of  public  worship,  (if  they 
observe  any)  which  loe  observe,  who  believe  that  God  has 
given  a  sabbath  to  the  Christian^  as  well  as  to  the  Jewish 
church.  If  all  Christian  denominations  were  at  once  to 
disbelieve  the  divine  obligation  of  observing  holy  time;  and 
if  they  could,  with  this,  forget  that  God's  people  ever  were 
under  such  obligation,  or  that  there  ever  was  any  particular 
day,  or  portion  of  time,  set  apart  from  secular  to  religious 
duties,  is  it  to  be  expected  that  they  would  all  agree  among 
themselves,  to  observe  one  day  every  week,  and  that  the 
same  day  7* 

*  To  all  these  arguments  in  favor  of  the  perpetuity  of  the  weekly  sabbath,  it 
is  objected  that  a  different  doctrine  is  taught,  Gal.  iv.  10,  11  :  Col.  ii.  16,  17; 
and  Rom.  xiv.  5. 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  85 

Having  attended  to  some  arguments  in  favor  of  the  per- 
petual obligation  of  observing  a  weekly  sahhath,  I  proceed, 

Socondly ;  To  suggest  some  arguments  in  favor  of  a 
change  of  the  sabbath  from  the  seventh  to  the^r^^  day  of 
the  week. 

If  in  the  passage  in  the  epistle  to  the  Galatians,  the  Lord^s  day  is  included 
among  the  days  which  they  are  condemned  for  observing,  it  will  follow,  that  it 
is  wrong  for  us  to  observe  it,  or  even  to  make  it  a  stated  season  for  public  wor- 
ship. They  who  bring  this  text  to  prove  the  abrogation  of  the  weekly  sabbath, 
and  to  do  away  the  moral  obligation  of  Christians  to  keep  any  holy  day,  do 
nevertheless  view  it  as  an  iniwcent  thing  to  make  a  stated  practice  of  meeting 
together  on  the  first  day  of  the  week :  But  Paul  says  to  those  who  observe 
iaijs^  "  I  am  afraid  of  you."  The  church  at  Galatia  was  evidently  much 
troubled,  and  not  a  little  corrupted  by  Judaizing  Christian  teachers.  These 
men  were  full  of  a  Pharisaic  spirit.  They  did  not  understandingly  embrace 
the  Christian  system ;  nor  did  they  discern  the  true  intent  of  the  ceremonial 
law,  and  the  Jewish  economy.  If  they  had,  it  would  have  served  as  a  school- 
master, to  teach  them  the  necessity  of  Christ,  and  its  own  insufficiency  to  save. 
When  Paul  heard,  that  his  brethren  of  the  Galatian  church,  who  were  not 
Jews  but  Gentiles,  were,  by  the  insti  action  of  these  mongrel  Christian  preach- 
ers, adopting  the  peculiar  rites  of  the  J  ewish  dispensation  ;  such  as  the  obser- 
vance of  those  days,  and  months,  and  tin  es,  and  years,  which  were  a  part  of  the 
law  which  had  waxed  old  and  vanished  away  ;  he  was  afraid  of  them,  lest  he 
had  bestowed  labor  upon  them  in  vain.  But  do  you  think  that  this  apostle,  if 
he  were  now  present,  would  be  afraid  of  those  Christian  churches  among  us, 
which  are  the  most  careful  in  their  sanctifying  the  weekly  sabbath,  lest  gospel 
labor  had  been  bestowed  upon  them  in  vain  '?  We  find  at  tlais  day  that  those, 
who  enter  most  fully  into  the  scheme  of  salvation  by  grocc  alor.p.  pr°,  r'.t  the 
same  time,  apt  to  be  the  strictest  in  their  observance  of  the  Lord's  day. 

The  passage  in  Col.  ii.  16,  17,  has  also  reference  to  these  ceremonial  obser- 
vances :  "  Let  no  man  therefore  judge  you  in  meat  or  in  drink,  or  in  respect  of 
an  holy  day,  or  of  the  new  moon,  or  of  the  sabbath-days ;  which  are  a  shadow 
of  things  to  come  ;  but  the  body  is  of  Christ."  In  this  connexion,  Christ  is 
said  to  have  blotted  out  the  hand-writing  of  ordinances,  that  was  against  us. 
But  he  did  not  surely  blot  out  any  thing  w^hich  was  written  on  the  two  tables 
of  stone.  There  were  many  hoh  days,  and  sabbaihs,  (i.  e.  days  and  years  of 
rest  from  secular  business,)  which  the  God  of  Israel  enjoined  on  his  people  to 
observe,  besides  that  weekly  rest,  or  holy  sabbath,  which  in  the  beginning  he 
enjoined  on  Adam  and  all  his  sons.  These  sabbaths,  being  part  of  the  ceremo- 
nial law,  pointed  to  Christ  and  the  privileges  of  gospel  days.  They  were  a 
shadow  of  which  Christ  was  the  body  or  substance.  The  apostle  would  not 
have  any  one  judge  and  condemn  these  Christians,  who  held  the  Head — who 
8 


86  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

1.  The  first  argument,  which  I  shall  make  use  of  to  favor 
the  change  of  the  sabbath,  will  be  drawn  from  what  is  said 
in  the  scriptures  about  the  work  of  redemption's  eclipsing 
the  work  of  creation.  It  is  said  concerning  Christ,  that  all 
things  were  made  for  him.     The  first  creation,  which  was 

had  embraced  the  substance,  because  they  disused  the  shadows.  If  it  can  be 
proved,  that  the  grand  design  of  the  weekly  sabbath  was  to  serve  as  a  type  of 
the  coming  of  Christ,  this  would  do  much  toward  proving  that  it  is  now  no 
longer  obligatory.  But  this  I  conclude  has  not  been  proved.  The  Gentile 
converts  did  not  observe  the  same  day  of  the  week  as  a  sabbath,  which  had 
been  observed  by  the  Jews :  nor  did  they  eat  of  the  paschal  lamb,  or  practise 
the  rite  of  circumcision  :  but  they  kept  holy  the  first  day  of  the  week  ;  they 
ate  of  the  Lord's  supper,  and  used  the  initiating  rite  of  baptism.  For  these 
differences  they  were  judged  and  condemned  by  the  unbelieving  Jews,  though 
they  held  themselves  as  sacredly  bound  to  attend  on  those  institutions,  in  their 
New  Testament  form,  as  the  Jews  had  done  to  attend  upon  them  under  the 
form  of  the  Old  Testament  dispensation. 

The  passage  in  the  14th  chapter  of  Romans,  may  perhaps,  be  thought  more 
decisively  to  level  all  distinction  of  days  in  New  Testament  times  :  "  One  man 
esteemeth  one  day  above  another ;  another  esteemeth  every  day  alike.  Let 
every  man  be  fully  persuaded  in  his  own  mind."  To  understand  what  the 
apostle  meant  in  this  passage  it  is  proper  to  attend  to  the  scope  of  his  argu- 
ment. In  another  place,  speaking  of  the  day  of  judgment,  he  says.  Then  shall 
every  man  have  praise  of  God.  Yet  this  same  apostle  abundantly  teaches,  that 
many  men  will  at  that  solemn  and  decisive  day  be  condemned  of  God,  and  have 
tribulation  and  anguish ;  that  the  wrath  of  God  will  come  on  them,  and  that 
they  will  reap  corruption.  "  Every  man  who  is  to  have  praise  of  God,"  must 
mean  every  good  man  :  It  was  of  such  men  the  apostle  was  speaking.  So  in 
the  passage  now  before  us,  he  is  not  speaking  of  all  days,  but  of  all  ceremo- 
nial days.  In  the  same  argument,  he  says,  "  For  one  belie veth  that  he  may 
eat  all  things  :  another  who  is  weak  eateth  herbs.  Let  not  him  that  eateth 
despise  him  that  eateth  not."  There  was  no  Christian  who  did  not  eat;  there 
was  none  but  that  believed  he  had  a  right  to  eat  something  besides  herbs ;  for 
the  Creator  had  most  expressly  given  man  liberty  to  eat  fi£sh ;  But  in  the 
Levitical  law  he  had  restricted  him  to  certain  animals.  Among  the  primitive 
converts  the  dispute  must  have  been  about  eating  of  the  animals,  which  by  that 
law  were  considered  unclean.  Some  whose  faith,  and  whose  insight  into 
Christianity,  were  weak,  would  sooner  confine  themselves  to  bread  and  vegeta- 
bles, than  to  eat  of  the  meats  which  they  esteemed  as  unclean.  As  the  dispute 
was  not  about  all  meats,  so  it  was  not  about  ail  days :  It  was  only  about  the 
days  distinguished  by  the  ceremonial  law.  Some  still  viewed  the  new  moon, 
the  feast  of  passover,  the  pentecost,  the  day  of  atonement,  &c.  as  holy  days — 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  87 

finished  in  six  days,  is  considered  as  the  scaffoldings  and 
the  church  as  the  temple  which  is  to  abide  for  ever.  In 
Isa.  Ixv.  17,  18,  it  is  said,  "  For  behold  I  create  new  hea- 
vens, and  a  new  earth ;  and  the  former  shall  not  be  remem- 
bered, nor  come  into  mind.  But  be  ye  glad  and  rejoice 
for  ever  in  that  which  I  create  :  for  behold,  I  create  Jerusa- 
lem a  rejoicing,  and  her  people  a  joy."  Here  are  two  cre- 
ations brought  into  view.  The  first  is  that  of  which  we 
have  an  account  in  the  beginning  of  the  Bible.  It  was  fin- 
ished in  six  days,  and  on  the  seventh  day  God  rested  from 
his  work,  and  therefore  blessed  the  day,  and  sanctified  it. 
The  other  creation  mentioned  in  this  passage,  is  called  Jeru- 
salein  and  her  people.  It  is  Jerusalem  which  is  above, 
which  is  the  mother  of  all  the  children  of  God.  This  new 
and  spiritual  creation,  the  church  of  Christ,  is  spoken  of  as 
far  surpassing  the  first  in  beauty  and  glory.  In  comparison 
to  the  7iew  creation,  the  first  will  not  be  worthy  to  be  re- 
membered or  come  into  mind.  This  prophetic  account  of 
the  superior  excellency  of  the  new  creation,  very  naturally 
suggests  the  idea  of  changing  the  day  of  rest,  so  as  would 
be  calculated  to  present  the  new  creation,  that  is,  the  work 
OF  redemption,  in  a  more  conspicuous  point  of  view  than 
the  six  days'  creation.  And  this  is  evidently  done  by 
making  tlie  day,  on  which  the  Redeemer  rested  from  his 
work  of  suffering  and  abasement,  to  be  the  Christian  sab- 
bath. "  There  remaineth,  therefore,  a  rest  (a  sabhatism)  to 
the  people  of  God.  For  he  that  is  entered  into  his  rest,  he 
hath  also  ceased  from  his  own  works,  as  God  did  from  his :?' 
Heb.  iv.  9,  10.  As  God  ceased  from  the  work  of  creating 
the  world,  and  made  a  sabbatis??i;  so  Christ  ceased  from 
his  work  of  suffering,  to  redeem  the  world,  and  he  also 

as  better  than  other  days :  others  viewed  these  days  as  now  reduced  to  a  level 
with  common  days.  But  as  the  ceremonial  law,  at  its  first  establishmentj 
found  one  distinguished  day,  one  day  which  was  better  than  the  other,  neither 
its  institution;  nor  its  abrogation  could  affect  that  day. 


88  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

made  a  sabbaiism;  vndi  both  are  an  emblem  of  the  rest, 
(i.  e.  of  the  keeping  of  a  sabbath,)  which  remaineth  to  the 
people  of  God  in  the  coming  world. 

2.  There  are  predictions  in  the  Old  Testament,  which 
intimate  a  change  of  the  sabbath.  This  is  pretty  clearly 
intimated,  Psal.  cxviii.  22 — 24.  "The  stone  which  the 
builders  rejected  is  become  the  head  stone  of  the  corner. 
This  is  the  Lord's  doing,  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes.  This 
is  the  day  which  the  Lord  hath  made,  we  will  rejoice  and 
be  glad  in  it."  The  New  Testament  scriptures  make  it  cer- 
tain that  this  corner  stone  is  Christ.  He  was  in  the  most 
striking  manner  rejected  of  the  Jewish  builders,  when  they 
cried,  "Away  with  him,  crucify  him,  crucify  him."  And 
when  he  was  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God  with  power,  by 
his  resurrection  from  the  dead,  he  did,  in  an  eminent  sense, 
become  the  head  stone  of  the  corner.  "  This,'''  say  the 
church,  "  is  the  day  which  the  Lord  hath  made,  we  will  re- 
joice and  be  glad  in  it."  The  event  has  explained  this  to 
mean,  that  Christians  would  make  the  day  of  Christ's  resur- 
rection, their  sabbath,  in  which  to  pray,  and  praise,  and 
hear  the  word.  A  holy  rejoicing,  and  not  a  frolicksome 
mirth,  was  predicted.  It  will  be  seen  by  Dr.  Watts'  version 
of  this  Psalm,  that  he  viewed  it  as  pointing  out  the  resur- 
rection-day sabbath. 

"  This  is  the  day  the  Lord  hath  made, 
"  He  calls  the  hours  his  oii?)i ; 
"  Let  heaven  rejoice,  let  earth  be  glad, 
"  And  praise  surround  the  throne." 

There  seems  to  be  a  prediction  of  the  change  of  the  sab- 
bath, at  the  close  of  the  43d  chapter  of  Ezekiel.  "  Seven 
days  shall  they  purge  the  altar  and  purify  it,  and  they  shall 
consecrate  themselves.  And  when  these  days  are  expired, 
it  shall  be  that  upon  the  eighth  day  and  so  forward,  the 
priests  shall  make  your  burnt-offerings  upon  the  altar,  and 
your  peace-ofierings."     It  is  generally  agreed  that  these  last 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  89 

chapters  of  Ezekiel  refer  to  gospel  days,  and  ultimately  to 
the  days  of  the  Millennium.  Gospel  worship  is  predicted 
under  the  emblems  of  the  ceremonial  dispensation.  But  we 
are  not  to  understand  the  predicted  worship  itself  as  typical, 
though  the  altai\  and  the  biirnt-offerwgs  and  peace-offer- 
i7igs,  is  the  language  of  types.  The  New  Testament  has 
its  ministers,  and  its  altar  which  sanctifieth  every  gift  offered 
upon  it,  and  its  offerings  of  prayer  and  praise.  It  must, 
therefore,  have  its  da/^s  of  offering  up  these  acceptable  sacri- 
fices. And  the  prediction,  now  under  our  eye,  seems  to 
intimate  that  it  would  be  a  different  day  from  what  had 
before  been  devoted  to  the  special  services  of  religion.  It 
shall  be  that  upon  the  eighth  da//,  and  so  forward^  the 
priests  shall  make  your  burnt-offerings  upon  the  altar.  The 
eighth  day  is  the  next  after  the  seventh,  and  is  therefore 
the  same  as  the^r^^  day  of  the  week  ;  the  day  upon  which 
Christian  "  priests  "  minister  at  the  altar :  and  thus  it  is  to 
continue  to  the  end  of  time. 

3.  The  first  day  of  the  week  is  in  the  New  Testament 
called  the  Lord's  day.  It  is  so  called.  Rev.  i.  10.  "I  was 
in  the  Spirit  on  the  Lord's  dayP  There  can  be  no  doubt 
but  that  the  first  day  of  the  week  is  meant.  This  has  been 
the  name,  which  Christians  have  given  to  it  from  the  com- 
mencement of  the  Christian  era,  and  is  as  much  the  distin- 
guishing name  of  the  first  day  of  the  week,  as  Monday  and 
Tuesday^  are  of  the  second  and  third  days.  This  is  fully 
conceded  by  a  writer  of  eminence,  who  nevertheless  dis- 
putes divine  authority  for  any  sabbath  under  the  Christian 
dispensation.  He  says,  "I  make  no  doubt  but  that  by  the 
Lords  day  was  meant  the  first  day  of  the  week ;  for  we 
find  no  footsteps  of  any  distinction  of  days,  which  could 
entitle  any  other  to  that  appellation.  The  subsequent  his- 
tory of  Christianity  corresponds  with  the  accounts  delivered 
on  this  subject  in  scripture." 

If  this  point  is  conceded,  that  ihe  first  day  of  th3  week  is 
8* 


90  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

what  the  apostle  John  means  by  the  Lord's  day,  it  will 
afford  a  strong  argument  in  favor  both  of  the  perpetuity  wa^ 
change  of  the  sabbath.  What  can  be  meant,  by  giving  the 
appropriate  name  of  Lords  day  to  a  particular  day  of  the 
"week  ?  The  name  marks  the  day  as  His  ;  as  the  Lords 
sup2)ej^,  and  the  Lords  house,  distinguish  the  sacrament 
from  a  common  supper ;  and  the  temple  or  sanctuary  from 
a  common  dwelling.  Time  is  all  the  Lord's ;  yet  in  Isaiah, 
fifty-eighth  chapter,  and  thirteenth  verse,  we  hear  him  chal- 
lenging a  special  property  in  a  particidar  day,  by  calling  it 
His  day.  "  If  thou  turn  away  thy  foot  from  the  sabbath, 
from  doing  thy  pleasure  on  my  holy  day."  Why  does  he 
say  concerning  the  sabbath,  it  is  7?iy  day,  only  to  point  it 
out  as  a  day  separated  from  common,  to  religious  purposes, 
and  consecrated  by  his  own  appointment  to  his  immediate 
service?  And  why,  in  the  inspired  writings  of  the  New 
Testament,  do  we  read  of  the  Lords  day,  if  there  be  no 
day  now  set  apart  for  the  same  holy  purposes,  and  by  the 
same  divine  authority  7  And  this  appropriate  name  being 
transferred  from  the  seventh  to  the  first  day,  proves,  that 
the  first  day  of  the  week,  and  not  the  seventh,  is  now  the 
holy  day  ;  and  that  it  is  to  be  observed  as  the  weekly  sab- 
bath. There  may  be  some  Christian  readers  who  never 
thought  that  this  name  of  Lords  day,  given  in  the  New 
Testament  to  the  first  day  of  the  week,  did  any  thing  to- 
wards determining  their  obligation  to  keep  it  holy  to  the 
Lord,  or  to  pointing  out  its  particular  duties,  any  more  than 
that  the  names  of  the  other  days  of  the  week  determine  the 
particular  duties  belonging  to  them.  But  1  am  sure  they 
will  think  otherwise,  when  they  have  duly  examined  this 
significant  name. 

4.  A  change  of  the  day  of  keeping  the  sabbath,  may  be 
argued  from  the  apostolic  practice,  that  is,  the  practice  of 
the  apostles  themselves,  and  the  cotemporary  practice  of  the 
churches  which  they  planted.     They  evidently  distinguish- 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  91 

ed  the  first  day  of  the  week  as  a  day  of  asse?nbli7ig,  and  of 
attending  on  Christian  ordinances.  In  the  Acts  of  the  Apos- 
tles, chap.  XX.  verses  6,  7,  we  have  this  account :  "  And  we 
came  unto  them  to  Troas  in  five  days,  where  we  abode 
seven  days.  And  upon  the^r^^  day  of  the  week,  when  the 
disciples  came  together  to  break  bread,  Paul  preached  unto 
them."  As  Paul  was  at  Troas  a  full  week,  he  was  there  on 
the  seventh  day  sabbath,  but  there  is  no  mention  made  of 
their  meeting  on  that  day  for  public  worship,  for  preaching, 
and  the  breaking  of  bread  ;  but  when  the  first  day  arrived, 
the  disciples  met  for  these  purposes.  When  the  apostles 
preached  to  the  unconverted  Jews,  they  met  with  them  on 
their  own  day.  They  watched  every  time  and  opportunity, 
to  make  known  to  them  the  mystery  of  the  Gospel.  But 
when  they  were  with  churches  of  converted  disciples,  they 
distinguished  the  first  day,  as  the  day  of  meeting  together 
for  the  purposes  of  religion.  That  the  first  day  of  the  week 
was  thus  generally  distinguished  among  the  primitive 
churches,  maybe  learned  from  1  Gor.  xvi.  1,  2:  "Now con- 
cerning the  collection  for  the  saints,  as  I  have  given  orders 
to  the  churches  of  Galatia,  even  so  do  ye.  Upon  the  Jirst 
day  of  the  week  let  every  one  of  you  lay  by  him  in  store, 
as  God  hath  prospered  him,  that  there  be  no  gatherings 
when  I  come."  From  this  it  appears,  that  in  the  church  of 
Corinth,  and  the  churches  of  Galatia,  and  in  fine,  in  Chris- 
tian churches  in  general,  the  first  day  of  the  week  was  dis- 
tinguished as  a  day  of  religious  meeting,  and  would  there- 
fore be  a  suitable  day  for  a  charitable  contribution.  If  the 
arguments  which  have  been  brought  to  prove  that  there 
now  exists  a  sabbath^  do  actually  prove  it ;  I  think  there  is 
light  enough  from  the  apostolic  practice  to  make  it  evident, 
that  the  first  day  of  the  week  is  that  sabbath. 

5.  The  practice  of  the  Christia^i  church  since  the  days 
of  the  apostles,  afiTords  an  argument  of  considerable  weight 
in  favor  of  the  change  of  the  sabbath.    It  is  evident  from 


92  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

the  history  of  the  Christian  church,  that  she  has  all  along 
had  her  holy  day,  her  day  for  attending  to  the  word  and 
worship  of  God  ;  and  also  that  this  day  has  been  the  firsts 
and  not  the  seventh  day  of  the  week.  ^  This  has  been  the 
day  observed,  not  only  by  the  corrupt  church  of  Rome,  but 
by  all  the  protestant  churches,  with  veiy  few  exceptions. 
Now  it  is  very  difficult  to  account  for  this,  on  the  ground, 
that  the  seventh  day  is  still  the  divinely  appointed  sabbath. 
It  is  difficult  to  see  how  the  Christians  should  all  make  a 
mistake  about  the  particular  day  to  be  kept  holy.  It  is  not 
so  strange  that  there  should  be  a  mistake  about  some  cir- 
cumstance, such  as  the  time  of  beginning  the  day.  It  is 
also  difficult  to  believe,  that  the  King  of  Zion  would  suffer 
almost  his  whole  church,  in  times  of  primitive  purity,  as 
well  as  times  of  apostacy ;  and  also  in  times  of  reformation, 
to  mistake  the  very  day  which  he  had  appointed  for  the 
sabbath.  This  at  least,  in  connexion  with  other  things, 
furnishes  a  presumptive  proof  of  divine  authority  for  the 
change  of  the  day. 

6.  The  transfer  of  the  blesshig  from  the  seventh  to  the 
first  day,  shows  that  this  is  now  the  hallowed  day.  "  God 
blessed  the  seventh  day,  and  sanctified  it."  If  it  can  be 
made  to  appear,  that  God  now  makes  the  first  day  eminently 
the  day  of  blessings  it  will  be  a  strong  proof  that  he  has 
sanctified  it;  or  made  it  the  holy  day.  I  have  already 
quoted  a  passage  from  the  43d  chapter  of  Ezekiel,  which 
predicts,  that  under  the  gospel,  the  priests  (i.e.  the  ministers 
of  Christ)  should  make  their  offerings  thence  forward  on  the 
eighth  day ;  which  must  mean  the  same  as  the  first  day  of 
the  week.  In  connexion  with  this  new  day  of  making  their 
offerings,  it  is  said,  "  And  I  will  accent  you,  saith  the  Lord 
God."  It  is  implied,  not  only  that  God  would  accept  of  the 
offerings,  but  also  of  the  new  sabbath,  on  which  these  offer- 
ings would  in  time  to  come  be  made. 

It  was  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  even  the  very  day  on 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  93 

which  the  Savior  arose  from  the  dead,  that  he  made  the 
hearts  of  the  two  disciples  burn  within  them,  by  opening 
their  understandings  to  understand  the  scriptures.  This 
was  properly  the  first  Christian  sabbath,  (though  it  is  proba- 
ble that  the  disciples  did  not  yet  understand  the  change  which 
was  to  take  place  ;)  and  that  sweet  communion  which  the 
Savior  granted  to  these  disciples,  and  that  increasing  know- 
ledge of  the  scriptures  which  he  afforded  them,  was  no  doubt 
designed  as  a  specimen  of  the  blessing  which  he  would 
henceforth  put  upon  that  day.  ''  The  same  day  at  evening, 
being  the  first  day  of  the  week,  when  the  doors  were  shut, 
where  the  disciples  were  assembled  for  fear  of  the  Jews, 
came  Jesus  and  stood  in  the  midst,  and  saith  unto  them, 
Peace  be  unto  you."  John  xx.  19.  This  was  a  blessed 
sabbath  evening ;  the  risen  Savior  was  in  the  midst  of  them 
speaking  words  of  peace.* 

The  Pentecost  fell  on  this  day  of  the  week,  as  will  appear 
by  reverting  to  Levit.  xxiii.  15,  16.  The  first  Pentecost 
after  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  was  surely  a  day  blessed  of 
the  Lord.  It  was  a  day  in  which  he  stood  by  Peter,  bidding 
him  to  cast  his  net  on  the  right  side  of  the  ship ;  and  made 
him  a  most  successful  fisher  of  men.  How  many  thousands 
of  souls,  since  that  day,  have  been  pricked  in  the  heart  on 
the  Christian  sabbath  !  And  to  how  many  has  this  been 
a  spiritual  birth-day  !  When  the  history  of  the  work  of 
redemption  shall  be  fully  disclosed,  it  will  no  doubt  strikingly 

*  Those  Christians,  who  believe  that  the  holy  day  begins  and  ends  at  the 
setting  of  the  sun,  do  notwithstanding  frequently  devote  the  evening  which 
succeeds  the  day  to  devotional  exercises  in  a  social  manner,  in  which  they  often 
find  that  Christ  is  with  them.  And  though  they  do  not  consider  this  evening 
as  a  part  of  the  twenty-four  hours,  which  constitute  the  Lord's  day  ;  still  it 
grieves  them  to  see  this  evening,  which  inunediately  succeeds  the  day  of  prayer, 
made  peculiar  by  mirth  and  levity,  which  are  striking  indications  that  the  sab- 
bath, with  all  its  solemn  services,  has  made  no  deep  and  lasting  impression 
upon  the  hearts  of  creatures  bound  to  eternity. 


94  DISCOURSES   ON  THE  SABBATH. 

appear,  that  this  is  the  day  which  the  Lord  hath  blessed 
and  honored,  as  a  harvest  day  for  souls. 

It  was  on  the  Lord's  day,  that  the  beloved  disciple  was  in 
the  Spirit.  Peculiar  manifestations  were  made  to  him  on 
this  day,  and  the  probable  reason  why  that  day  of  the  week 
is  particularized  on  which  he  had  these  revelations  made  to 
him,  is,  to  put  honor  on  the  day.  The  saints  have  com- 
munion with  God  on  other  days ;  but  they  are  apt  to  look 
forward  to  the  Lord's  day,  as  a  peculiarly  blessed  day.  By 
their  own  experience  they  have  learned,  that  it  is  good  for 
them  to  keep  it  holy  to  the  Lord  :  and  that  when  they  keep 
it  most  agreeably  to  the  requirement  contained  in  the  fourth 
command,  it  is  then  the  most  blessed. 

Another  argument  in  favor  of  the  holiness  of  the  Chris- 
tian sabbath,  may  be  drawn  from  the  evils  which  have 
been  connected  with  a  profanation  of  it.  This  day  has  been 
greatly  profaned,  and  vice  and  iniquity  in  general  have  been 
manifestly  fostered,  and  brought  to  a  greater  height  by  its 
profanation.  It  was  noticed  by  Judge  Hale,  of  England, 
that  among  the  many  criminals  which  were  convicted  of 
capital  crimes  while  he  was  Judge,  he  found  few  but  that, 
upon  inquiry,  would  confess  that  they  began  their  career  of 
wickedness,  by  a  loose  conduct  on  the  Lord's  day.  Although 
such  miraculous  manifestations  of  God's  displeasure  are  not 
to  be  looked  for,  as  were  common  during  the  days  of  inspi- 
ration ;  yet  wise  observers,  in  our  own  days,  have  noticed 
some  pretty  signal  manifestations  of  God's  displeasure  against 
those,  who  have  greatly  polluted  the  Christian  sabbath : 
and  they  have  noticed  his  frowns  on  themselves  for  their 
own  deviations  from  a  conscientious  hallowing  of  this  day, 
which  is  called  the  Lord's. 

But  to  all  which  has  been  offered  in  favor  of  a  change  of 
the  day,  it  will  perhaps  be  objected ;  That  the  command- 
ment says,  "  But  the  seventh  day  is  the  sabbath  of  the  Lord 
thy  God,  in  it  thou  shalt  not  do  any  work."     To  this  objec- 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  95 

tion  it  may  be  replied:  That  to  worship  God  is  a  part  of  the 
moral  law.  To  take  time  from  other  services,  to  devote  im- 
mediately to  this  worship,  is  also  morally  binding.  While 
in  this  world,  where  a  part  of  time  must  necessarily  be  de- 
voted to  secular  employments,  it  is  morally  and  perpetually 
binding  on  us,  to  sanctify  a  seventh  part  of  time  ;  for  this  is 
required  in  the  moral  law.  The  change  of  the  day  to  be 
observed,  does  not  destroy  the  command  ;  for  this  applies, 
with  equal  force,  to  the  day  which  the  New  Testament  calls 
the  Lord's  Day.  I  know  we  should  have  no  right,  of  our- 
selves, to  make  such  an  alteration  as  this :  but  the  Lord  of 
the  sabbath  could  point  out  a  new  day  to  be  observed,  with- 
out repealing  the  original  law.  And  we  think  the  reasons 
which  have  been  given  are  sufficient  to  lead  to  a  conclusion, 
that  He  himself  has  made  the  change.  The  fourth  com- 
mandment still  has  all  its  force :  Six  days  we  labor,  and 
then  we  have  one  day  of  rest,  which  is  holy  to  the  Lord. 
These  holy  days  come  in  the  same  regular  succession,  as 
under  the  law.  It  is  true,  that  now  they  are  designed,  not 
only  to  remind  us  of  the  work  of  creation,  but  of  the  still 
more  wonderful  and  glorious  work  of  redemption.  Surely 
there  is  nothing  in  such  a  change  as  this,  that  looks  like  an 
annihilation  of  the  commandment.  The  ten  command- 
ments, delivered  from  Mount  Sinai,  are  all  of  them  still 
binding  upon  the  children  of  men.  And  the  Savior  says, 
"  If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  commandments." 


96  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 


FIFTH  DISCOURSE 

John  v.  39. 
Search  the  Scriptures. 


A  REVIEW  of  the  scripture  testimony  concerning  the  sab- 
bath, will  suggest  some  remarks  and  reflections. 

I.  The  weekly  sabbath  holds  a  very  conspiaiotis  place 
in  the  scriptures.  We  find  it  upon  the  first  page  of  the 
Bible.  We  find  it  in  the  midst  of  the  decalogue.  We  find 
it  spread  through  both  Testaments.  The  texts  which  have 
been  introduced  and  remarked  upon,  in  the  preceding  dis- 
courses, are  not  a  few.  If  placed  one  after  the  other  in 
continued  order,  they  would  be  enough  to  make  several 
chapters.  Would  all  this  be,  in  a  book  which  was  written 
by  holy  men,  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  if  the 
sabbath  were  an  unimportant  institution ;  or  if  it  were  un- 
important in  comparison  with  other  things?  Where  there 
is  "precept  upon  precept,  precept  upon  precept,  line  upon 
line,  line  upon  line,  here  a  little  and  there  a  little,"  concern 
ing  any  institution,  it  is  evident,  that  such  institution  is 
considered  to  be  of  great  importance.  We  infer  the  impor- 
tance of  the  subject  from  the  frequent  mention  made  of  it 
in  the  scriptures ;  and  also  from  the  great  solemnity/  with 
which  it  is  mentioned.  The  sanctification  of  the  sabbath 
is  strongly  enforced,  and  the  profanation  of  it  most  severely 
threatened. 

If  God  has  scattered  instruction  concerning  his  holy  day 
through  the  whole  sacred  volume,  then  it  must  be  a  subject 
worth  engaging  the  attention  of  all  those  to  whom  the  word 
of  God  comes.     Let  us  on  this  point  imitate  the  Jews  of 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  97 

Berea,  who  searched  the  scriptures  daily,  to  see  whether 
the  things  which  they  heard  were  so.  If  any  think  it  a 
matter  of  little  or  no  consequence,  they  will  not  be  much 
engaged  to  inquire  what  God  has  revealed  concerning  it. 

11.  It  is  important  to  remark,  that  there  are  two  errors 
concerning  the  sabbath,  both  of  which  have  a  dangerous 
and  pernicious  tendency.  One  of  these  errors  consists  in 
making  the  sabbath  a  mere  carcass^  without  spirit  and  life : 
the  other  error  consists  in  depriving  it  wholly  of  its  body, 
the  external  part,  under  pretence  of  great  regard  to  the  spir- 
ituality of  it.  The  first  of  these  was  the  error  of  the  Phari- 
sees, who  lived  in  the  time  of  our  Savior.  They  were 
a  generation  very  destitute  of  true  religion ;  yet  they  ap- 
peared, in  a  certain  way,  to  pay  great  attention  to  the  obser- 
vance of  the  sabbath.  They  were  perhaps  in  the  sight  of 
God  as  wicked  as  those,  who,  in  the  days  of  Jeremiah  and 
Ezekiel,  greatly  polluted  the  sabbath  by  their  loose  prac- 
tices. But  their  wickedness,  as  it  respected  the  sabbath  and 
many  other  religious  observances,  ran  in  quite  a  different 
channel.  They  adhered  to  the  external  of  the  command- 
ment, and  were  even  unnecessarily  scrupulous  in  some 
things ;  but  the  external  of  it  was  all  which  they  regarded. 
And  this  they  did  to  establish  their  own  righteousness,  not 
submitting  themselves  to  the  righteousness  of  God. 

The  opposite  error,  of  spiritualizing  avmy  the  external 
of  the  commandment,  is  no  less  dangerous ;  and  it  may  be 
done  by  those,  who  possess  substantially  the  same  character 
with  the  scribes  and  Pharisees.  They  will  boastingly  say, 
"  We  are  no  Pharisees ;"  when  God,  who  seeth  their  hearts, 
beholds  them  disregarding  the  letter  of  his  precept,  from  a 
vain  conceit  of  a  high  regard  to  the  spirit  of  it.  They 
may  say,  "  We  have  the  spirit  of  the  sabbath,  and  you 
have  the  letter: — We  have  the  sabbath  within,  and  you 
have  it  without : — We  keep  sabbath  evejy  day,  and  you 
have  it  but  once  a  week.^^  Let  these  claims  to  peculiar  spir- 
9 


98  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

ituality  be  canvassed.  The  letter  or  body,  without  the 
spirit,  we  acknowledge  is  dead  ;  but  a  man  is  not  a  man 
complete  without  spirit  and  body  too.  God  has  made,  and 
designs  to  perpetuate,  both  the  spirit  and  body.  So  God  has 
made  the  spirit  and  the  letter  of  the  sabbath ;  and  designs 
that  both  shall  be  regarded.  It  must  be  displeasing  to  him, 
to  see  one  part  made  use  of  to  oppose  and  destroy  the  other, 
when  he  regards  them  both. 

It  has  been  said  by  those  who  oppose  the  external  of  the 
commandment,  "  We  have  the  sabbath  within^  you  have  it 
withoutP  In  reply  to  this  it  may  be  asked  ;  How  it  is 
known  that  we,  who  have  the  sabbath  without,  have  it  not 
also  within?  Did  not  an  apostle  say,  "Show  me  thy  faith 
without  thy  works,  and  I  will  show  thee  my  faith  hy  my 
works?"  What  works  are  so  proper  to  show  an  inward 
regard  to  the  sabbath,  as  refraining  from  all  those  things 
forbidden  to  be  done  on  that  day,  and  performing  the  duties 
required?  Is  it  a  suitable  way  to  manifest  that  God's  law 
is  in  our  hearty  by  avoiding  it  in  our  'practice  7 

But,  say  our  opponents,  "We  keep  sabbath  every  day, 
and  you  have  it  hut  once  a  loeek?  What  is  meant  by  this? 
Does  this  mean  that  they  have  love  to  God,  and  other 
holy  affections  and  meditations  all  the  week  ?  It  is  in  a 
figurative  sense  only,  that  this  can  be  called  a  continual 
sabbath.  In  the  paradisaic  state,  there  was  nothing  but 
such  holy  affections  continually,  and  yet  there  was  but  one 
sabbath-day  in  the  week.  In  the  ten  commandments  we 
are  required  to  love  the  Lord  our  God  with  all  our  heart, 
and  that  perpetually  every  day  in  the  week ;  and  yet  in 
those  commandments  we  are  required  to  keep  but  one  day 
in  the  week  holy  to  the  Lord.  All  the  holy  affections, 
which  can  exist  in  the  heart,  will  not  of  themselves  con- 
stitute a  sanctification  of  the  sabbath.  Keeping  the  sabbath 
is  a  particidar  way  of  manifesting  love  to  God ;  if  this 
particular  way   is   not   taken,   the   commandment   is   not 


DISCOl-RSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  99 

obeyed.  It  is  so  with  the  other  commandments.  The  first 
commandment  requires,  that  the  living  and  true  God  should 
be  the  supreme  object  of  love.  The  second  commandment 
forbids  the  making  of  images,  and  bowing  down  to  them 
as  though  they  were  gods.  Now  let  me  ask,  Can  this  com- 
mand be  inwarclli/  obeyed,  and  ou tw a rcllt/  disobey edl  Can 
the  outward  part  be  disregarded  from  love  to  the  spirit  of 
the  commandment  ?  If  so,  then  j^apists,  and  even  pagans^ 
give  evidence  of  being  more  spiritual  than  any  denomina- 
tion of  protestant  Christians,  who  are  all  so  scrupulous  as 
to  attend  to  the  external  of  the  commandment.  But  let  us 
proceed :  Did  any  one  ever  suppose,  that  profane  swearers 
and  blasphemers  gave  peculiar  evidence  of  love  to  the  spirit 
of  the  third  commandment,  because  they  pay  such  little 
attention  to  the  external  of  it?  Or  has  any  one  supposed, 
that  there  was  any  way  of  keeping  the  third  commandment, 
short  of  taking  heed  to  our  lips,  as  well  as  to  our  hearts, 
that  they  do  not  pollute  the  holy  name  of  Jehovah  ?  The 
fourth  commarKlniei3^,.as  distinguished  frorii  the  others,  does 
not  consist  in  any  pajticu!ar<frarneVof'. state  of  the-Ae^?:/.; 
but  in  ^ ^qjeculiar- manner  of  spending •oiie-.'particularjjsper 
cified  day  of  the  week.  .  Novy,  to  _call  alt  the  days  of  th^ 
week  sabbath-days,  is,  instead  of  honoring  the  command- 
ment, annihilating  it. 

Let  this  rule  of  spiritualizing  away  the  letter  of  the  com- 
mandment, be  applied  to  the  second  table  of  the  law,  and 
what  work  it  will  make.  It  will  miake,  as  to  externals,  dis- 
obedient children,  WMrderers,  adtdterers,  thieves,  and  false 
witnesses  ;  and  yet  all  this  be  done  under  the  cover  of  pecu- 
liar spirituality!  No  obedience  to  the  external  of  the  com- 
mands; but  so  much  more  spirit  and  life  within  !  This  is 
soaring  above  dull  formality,  and  a  scrupulous  attention  to 
the  letter  of  the  commands  ! 

This  would  be  Antinomianism,  carried  to  its  full  length. 
There  have  been  some,  who  were  not  ashamed  to  avow  it 


100  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

in  all  these  horrid  consequences ;  even  as  it  respects  the 
commands  which  relate  to  our  duty  to  men.  Yet  the  most, 
perhaps,  would  not  be  willing  to  follow  it  thus  far ;  and  still 
as  it  respects  the  sabbath,  and  other  religious  duties,  the 
principle  is  adopted,  of  substituting  the  spirituality  mstead 
of  the  external  observance.  The  scripture  requires,  that 
God  should  in  all  things  be  glorified ;  that  whatever  we  do, 
we  should  do  it  heartily  to  the  Lord.  This  surely  will 
apply  to  all  religious  institutions.  Far  be  it  from  me  to 
speak  lightly  of  the  spirituality  of  religious  duties  and  ob- 
servances. Holy  love  and  fervency  of  spirit  are  the  life  of 
the  whole.  Without  these,  the  sabbath  is  not  acceptably 
sanctified.  To  promote  these,  is  an  object  of  great  moment. 
But  I  would  that  all  might  understand,  that  the  way  to  pro- 
mote a  spiritual  observance  of  the  sabbath,  is  not  to  destroy 
or  undervalue  an  observance  of  the  letter  of  the  command- 
ment. The  truth  lies  between  resting  in  a  strict  external 
observance  of  the  sabbath,  on  the  one  hand ;  and  a  spiritu- 
alizing away  of  the  external  observance  of  it,  on  the  other. 
The  command  has  an  outside  and  an  inside  ;  to  both  we 
must  pay  careful  attention,  if  we  would  please  God.  While 
neither  the  outside  nor  inside  are  to  be  trusted  in  as  that 
righteousness  in  which  a  sinner  is  to  be  accepted  before  God. 
The  typical  ceremonies  of  the  Old  Testament  are  at  an 
end.  To  revive  them  would  not  subserve  the  cause  of 
truth ;  as  it  would  imply  that  we  were  still  to  look  for  their 
accomplishment  in  the  coming  and  work  of  the  Redeemer. 
But  though  the  typical  ceremonies  are  at  an  end,  it  does  not 
follow,  that  all  external  religious  observances  are  done 
away.  The  weekly  sabbath,  prayer,  preaching  the  gospel, 
singing  psalms  and  hymns  of  praise,  and  the  administration 
of  the  sacraments,  are  to  be  observed  in  these  gospel  days, 
in  which  it  is  our  happy  lot  to  live.  These  all  have  an 
outside  to  them ;  and  it  is  of  the  greatest  consequence  to 
the  well-being  (if  not  to  the  very  existence)  of  Christianity, 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  101 

that  the  outside  should  not  be  treated  with  neglect.  Prayer 
is  the  desire  of  the  heart,  offered  up  before  God.  Jesus 
taught  us  by  precept  and  example,  to  take  seasons  for  retired 
prayer.  To  the  praise  of  Daniel  it  is  spoken,  that  he  statedly 
prayed  three  times  a  day.  Stated  family  prayer  is  a  duty 
of  great  importance.  Husbands  and  wives  are  strictly 
charged  to  live  together  in  such  a  manner,  as  that  their 
prayers  might  not  be  hindered.  We  are  to  worship  together, 
and  to  sing  praises  with  the  spirit,  and  with  the  under- 
standing. We  are  not  only  to  believe,  but  we  are  to  be 
baptized.  We  are  not  only  to  eat  Christ's  flesh  and  drink 
his  blood  by  faith  ;  but  we  are  to  eat  of  the  bread  and  drink 
of  the  ciip^  which  show  forth  the  Lord's  death  until  he 
come.  Christ  appointed  men  to  preach  the  Gospel  and  ad- 
minister the  sacraments ;  who  were  to  commit  their  office 
to  others,  that  in  this  way  the  church  might  never  be 
without  her  teachers,  who  should  be  distinguished  from 
their  brethren,  by  being  solemnly  and  publicly  set  ^part  to 
the  work  of  the  ministry.  If  all  the  divine  ordinances  and 
institutions  are  kept  up,  without  being  kindled  by  the  fire  of 
inward  devotion,  they  are  like  the  body  without  the  soul. 
The  devotion  of  the  heart  is  indispensable.  But  let  us 
suppose  all  the  ordinances  to  be  laid  aside ;  and  would  not 
Christianity  appear  quite  another  thing  from  what  it  appears 
in  the  New  Testament  ?  These  external  ordinances  are  the 
means  of  expressing,  and  also  of  improving,  the  devotion  of 
the  heart.  When  the  external  observance  of  one  of  these 
ordinances  is  levelled  at,  it  is  apt  to  prove  a  sweeping  stroke^ 
to  destroy  all  the  rest.  I  have  therefore  brought  them  into 
view  in  this  connexion ;  that  it  may  be  seen  what  will  be 
the  consequence  of  chiving  up  one.  If  you  give  up  the  sab- 
bath, and  are  content  with  having  no  holy  time,  only  when 
you  shall  happen  to  feel  religiously  disposed,  you  will  give 
up  the  stated  morning  and  evening  devotions  of  the  closet 
and  of  the  family.  You  will  next  give  up  the  sacraments 
9* 


102  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  S.\BBATH. 

of  baptism  and  the  Lord^s  supper;  and  then  the  stated 
ministry  of  the  word  will  appear  too  formal.  This  will  be 
making  the  frames  of  our  heart,  and  not  the  command  of 
God,  the  rule  by  which  to  regulate  our  practice.  It  ought 
to  be  remembered,  that  the  commands  of  God  were  made 
before  we  were  born.  They  are  rights  wndijit  in  themselves^ 
and  are  not  at  all  dependent  for  their  rectitude  on  our  dispo- 
sition to  obey.  They  detect  our  errors ;  they  show  us  what 
we  should  have  done  in  time  past ;  and  what  we  ought  to 
do  in  time  to  come.  A  perfect  conformity  to  these  divine 
rules,  in  feelings  and  practice,  is  the  mark  towards  which 
we  are  incessantly  to  press.  Let  it  be  kept  in  mind,  that 
the  Lord  hath  hallowed  his  sabbath,  whether  we  keep  it 
holy  or  not.  And  our  indisposition  to  keep  it  holy,  will  not 
induce  him  to  repeal  the  law  of  the  sabbath,  and  thus  reduce 
it  to  common  time. 

III.  We  remark,  that  in  view  of  the  light  reflected  on 
the  sabbath,  by  the  various  scriptures  which  speak  of  it, 
there  is  no  great  difficulty  for  the  candid  inquirer,  to  find 
out  what  is  meant  by  sanctifying,  and  what  by  profaning 
it.  Every  exercise  proper  for  the  sabbath  is  not  particu- 
larized ;  nor  is  every  thing  which  is  a  breach  of  it ;  but  so 
many  things  are  particularized  of  both  sorts,  that  the  rest 
may  be  learned  from  their  resemblance  to  these.  Exa^nples 
are  given  us  in  the  Bible,  both  of  the  sanctification,  and  of 
the  profanation  of  the  Lord's  day.  These  are  valuable,  as 
they  are  the  judgments  or  decisions  of  the  Lawgiver  himself; 
from  whose  judgment  there  is  no  appeal.  We  have  the  de- 
cision of  God  himself  on  the  case  of  ffatherino^  manna  :  also 
on  the  case  of  gathering  sticks,  or  wood,  on  the  sabbath-day. 
We  have  the  judgment  of  the  Lawgiver  on  the  case  of  bring- 
ing things  to,  or  carrying  them  from,  market ;  and  all  other 
bearing  of  burdens  on  the  sabbath.  The  Lord,  in  explaining 
his  own  requirement,  teaches  us,  that  on  the  sabbath  we  are  to 
rest  from  labor,  even  in  the  season  oi harvest ;  that  we  are  not 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  103 

to  do  ow^  own  ways^  find  our  own  pleasure^  or  speak  our 
own  words.  He  teaches  us,  that  the  sabbath  is  to  be  a  day 
for  a  holy  convocation  or  meeting  together  for  the  duties  of 
religion. 

God  is  in  all  things  to  be  glorified,  even  in  the  labor,  bu- 
shiess  and  recreation  of  the  six  days  ;  and  nothing  is  to  be 
done  on  any  of  these  days,  which  does  not  have  a  tendency 
to  bring  glory  to  God.  But  in  the  concerns  of  this  life, 
the  more  immediate  object  is  to  provide  for  ourselves  tem- 
foral  conveniences :  but  in  the  duties  of  religion,  the  direct 
and  m^ost  im7nediate  object  is,  to  honor  God,  and  seek  to 
possess,  and  cultivate  in  ourselves  and  others  that  spirit  and 
temper,  which  will  make  us  resemble  our  Creator,  and  pre- 
pare us  for  heaven.  The  Bible  sabbath,  it  is  evident,  is 
not  a  day  for  acquiring  p3'ope?^ty,  or  for  acquiring  scientific 
or  political  inform atioii.  Divinity,  in  its  different  branch- 
es, is  the  only  study  of  the  holy  day,  not  only  for  divines^ 
but  also  for  philosophers  and  statesmen  ;  husbandmen  and 
mechanics ;  masters  and  servants  ;  parents  and  children. 
Books,  which  are  not  irreligious,  are  not  admissible  to  be 
read  on  the  sabbath,  unless  they  expressly  treat  on  the  sub- 
ject of  religion.  If  this  case  is  no  where  in  the  Bible 
decided  by  itself,  it  is  evidently  included  under  the  direction, 
not  to  speak  our  own  words.  Our  eagerness  for  the  news, 
should  not  tempt  us  to  read  a  newspaper  on  the  Lord's  day. 
If  a  letter  fall  into  our  hands  on  the  sabbath j  which  is  sup- 
posed to  be  a  letter  of  business,  it  is  evidently  our  duty  to 
defer  the  reading  of  it  until  the  sabbath  is  ended.  If  such 
a  letter  ought  not  to  be  read  on  the  sabbath,  certainly  it 
ought  not  to  be  written  on  that  day.  If  any  should  say, 
This  is  to  be  too  particular ;  I  ask.  Is  it  going  beyond  the 
spirit  of  the  Bible  1  "  Say  I  these  liiings  as  a  man  ;  or  saith 
not  the  law  the  same?"  Does  not  God,  in  the  holy  scrip- 
tures, say  that  you  shall  not  speak  your  own  words  on  his 
day  7  and  is  it  not  equally  a  proi  ^nation  of  his  day,  to  write 


104  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

your  own  words,  that  is,  words  relating  to  the  concerns  of 
this  life  ?  I  wish  it  to  be  kept  in  mind,  that  I  am  still  ad- 
dressing myself,  not  to  i?fjidels,  but  to  those  who  believe  in 
the  divinity  of  the  scriptures ;  and  surely  these  must  see 
the  correctness  of  our  reasoning. 

"  The  Holy  of  the  Lord,"  is  inscribed  on  the  weekly 
sabbath  throughout  all  generations.  Let  this  inscription  be 
read  and  understood,  and  we  shall  know  what  is  meant  by 
keeping  the  sabbath  from  polluting  it.  If  any  man  will  do 
the  will  of  God,  with  respect  to  hallowing  the  sabbath, 
there  is  so  much  instruction  afforded  him  in  the  Bible,  that 
he  will  not  often  be  at  a  loss  what  should  be  done,  and  what 
should  be  avoided,  on  this  hallowed  day. 

IV.  A  review  of  the  seveml  scripture  passages,  which 
have  been  commented  upon  in  the  foregoing  discourses, 
compared  with  the  practice  of  those  nations  whom  God  has 
favored  with  the  scriptures,  will  reflect  light  upon  the  pres- 
ent dispensations  of  Providence  towards  these  favored  na- 
tions. God  has  arisen  to  shake  terribly  the  earth.  The 
whole  earth  is  disquieted ;  but  it  is  Christendom^  on  which 
the  vials  of  divine  wrath  are  more  especially  poured  out. 
It  is  where  the  sabbath  is  made  known,  and  where  it  is 
greatly  polluted.  Not  that  this  is  the  only  sin  of  Christian 
nations ;  for  it  is  never  found  alone.  But  from  searching 
the  scriptures  on  this  particular  point,  we  have  here  found 
enough  to  alarm  the  fears  of  all,  who  believe  that  the  decla- 
rations of  scripture  express  the  feelings  and  purposes  of  the 
Divine  mind.  When  in  the  days  of  king  Josiah,  the  book 
of  the  law,  which  had  been  lost,  was  found,  and  read  in  his 
hearino-,  he  rent  his  clothes,  and  sent  his  servants  to  the 
prophetess,  saying,  "  Go  ye  inquire  of  the  Lord  for  me,  and 
for  tlio  people,  and  for  all  Judah,  concerning  the  words  of 
this  book  that  is  found  :  for  great  is  the  wrath  of  the  Lord 
that  is  kindled  against  us,  because  our  fathers  have  not 
hearkened  unto  the  words  of  this  book,  to  do  according  to 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  105 

all  that  which  is  written  concerning  ns,"  (2  Kings,  xxii.) 
If  we  had  as  much  belief  of  Divine  truth,  and  as  much 
tenderness  of  heart,  as  this  good  prince  of  Judah,  would  not 
the  words  of  God's  book,  which  have  been  read  in  our 
hearing,  make  us  tremble  for  ourselves,  and  for  our  country  ? 
Should  we  not  say,  "  For  great  is  the  wrath  of  the  Lord 
that  is  kindled  against  us,  because  we  have  not  hearkened 
unto  the  words  of  this  book."  It  was  threatened  to  Israel, 
that  if  they  did  not  let  their  land  rest  on  the  sabbaths  which 
God  had  instituted,  he  would  send  them  out  of  their  land, 
that  it  might  enjoy  its  sabbaths.  Nehemiah  tells  those, 
whom  he  found  encroaching  upon  the  sabbath,  that  by  this 
they  were  bringing  wrath  uj)on  Israel.  By  the  prophet 
Jeremiah,  the  Lord  denounces  destruction  on  Jerusalem,  in 
case  the  people  would  not  hearken  to  him,  to  hallow  the 
sabbath-day.  And  now  let  us  ask.  Were  these  threatenings 
empty  words  ?  Did  not  the  event  prove  that  they  were  the 
words  of  the  God  of  truth  7  The  holy  sabbath  is  now 
made  known  to  us^  and  our  obligation  to  keep  it  holy  to 
the  Lord,  is  certainly  no  less  than  theirs.  The  threatenings 
which  Avere  first  delivered  to  Israel,  are  now  transmitted  to 
us,  and  belong  to  us  as  much  as  they  did  to  them,  if  we 
follow  in  their  steps,  by  treading  God's  holy  day  under  our 
feet.  And,  my  brethren,  have  we  not  done  it,  and  that 
abundantly?  I  will  not  say,  that  we  cannot  become  any 
more  corrupt  in  this  particular.  We  would,  with  gratitude, 
acknowledge  that  there  are  very  many  in  our  land,  who  do, 
in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  respect  the  sabbath,  and  divine 
institutions,  (and  those  who  reverence  the  sabbath  and  the 
sanctuary  are  the  bulwark  of  the  nation;)  but  still  there 
is  not  a  sabbath  which  comes  and  passes  away,  but  there  is 
an  immense  accumulation  of  the  guilt  of  our  nation,  by  the 
most  evident  and  open  contempt  poured  on  that  reasonable 
and  excellent  Divine  command,  "  Remember  the  sabbath- 
day,  to  keep  it  holy."     They  who  make  the  Bible  the  man 


106  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

of  their  counsel,  whatever  may  be  their  political  sentiments, 
are  more  afraid  of  God's  righteous  jiidgments  than  of  the 
greatest  potentate  on  earth.  And  they  know,  that  it  is  the 
wickedness  of  a  nation  which  draws  down  these  judgments. 
They  believe,  that  if  the  ways  of  a  nation  were  to  please 
the  Lord,  he  would  make  their  enemies  to  be  at  peace  with 
them.  When  therefore  they  see  iniquity  abounding,  and 
coming  in  like  a  flood ;  when  they  notice  that  the  proud 
are  called  happy,  and  they  who  work  wickedness  are  set 
up ;  when,  among  other  things,  they  see  the  sabbath  of  the 
Lord  is  greatly  polluted,  they  are  more  distressed,  not  only 
as  the  honor  of  God,  but  as  the  well-being  of  their  country 
is  concerned,  than  though  an  army  of  barbarians,  or  of  dis- 
ciplined troops,  were  marching  against  them,  with  an  intent 
to  destroy  them.  They  know,  that  if  the  Almighty  is  their 
friend,  there  are  more  for  them  than  against  them ;  but  if 
His  indignation  is  stirred  up  against  them,  none  can  help 
them.  "  When  He  giveth  quietness,  who  then  can  make 
trouble?  and  when  He  hideth  His  face,  who  then  can  be- 
hold Him  ?  whether  it  be  done  against  a  7iaiio7i,  or  against 
a  man  only." 

In  these  days,  distinguished  by  abounding  iniquity,  and 
by  the  righteous  judgments  of  Heaven,  the  Lord  of  Sabba- 
oth  hath  left  us  a  remnant  according  to  the  election  of  grace. 
These  are  no  doubt  to  be  found  in  both  of  the  two  great 
political  divisions  in  these  States.  These  all  unite  in  pray- 
ing for  the  peace  and  prosperity  of  the  nation.  To  obtain 
so  desirable  an  end,  they  most  earnestly  pray  for  the  out- 
pouring of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  for  a  thorough  and  exten- 
sive diff'usion  of  the  spirit  of  Christianity.  They  would 
expect  more  from  a  religious  reformation,  an  effectual  turn- 
ing from  every  false  way  unto  the  living  God,  than  from 
any  change  which  could  take  place  in  the  political  opinions 
and  practice  of  the  nation.  They  know  that  any  political 
change,  which  should  leave  us  trampling  under  foot  divine 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  107 

institutions,  and  serving  diverse  lusts,  would  not  remove  the 
controversy  which  the  Most  High  has  with  us. 

Those  who  regard  the  operation  of  the  Divine  hand,  are 
greatly  pained  at  the  growing  profanation  of  the  sabbath. 
They  are  grieved  that  the  general  government,  or  its  public 
functionaries,  should  not  remember,  that  one  day  in  the 
week  is  the  Lord's  day,  when  they  make  arrangements  for 
carrying  the  mail,  and  transacting  public  business.  They 
are  convinced  that  nations,  if  they  would  have  their  ways 
please  the  Lord,  should  never  make  any  laws  or  arrange- 
ments, to  contravene  the  laws  of  God  ;  but  that  nationally, 
as  well  as  individually,  they  should  acknowledge  their  in- 
feriority to  HIM.* 

*  If  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  was  purposely  so  framed  that 
Congress  should  have  no  right  to  pass  any  law  to  regulate  religicm,  surely  it 
was  not  purposely  so  framed  as  to  oppose  religion ;  unless  it  were  framed  by 
doic^nright  infidels.  If  the  Constitution  does  not  require  Congress  to  enforce 
the  observance  of  the  Christian  sabbath,  surely  it  cannot  require  them  to  be 
ignorant  of  the  day ;  and  to  be  ignorant  of  this,  that  He,  who  is  higher  than 
the  highest,  has  commanded  the  observance  of  it.  Surely  the  Constitution 
ought  not  so  to  be  interpreted,  (unless  it  be,  in  the  highest  sense,  an  infidel 
Constitution.)  as  to  make  it  the  duty  of  the  General  Government,  to  treat  the 
Lord's  day  as  though  it  were  not.  But  let  me  ask,  Is  not  the  Lord's  day  pros- 
trated in  the  dust,  (as  far  as  one  thing  can  do  it.)  by  the  arrangements  which 
are  made  for  carrying  the  public  mail  ?  Hundreds  of  men  are  employed  every 
sabbatii  in  riding  to  carr}-  the  mail,  and  postmasters  without  number,  in  open- 
ing and  closing  the  mail ;  while  hosts  of  those,  who  are  peculiarly  fond  to  tell 
or  hear  some  new  thing,  stand  waiting  for  the  key  to  be  turned,  which  shall 
unlock  to  them  things  new  and  rare.  Another  evil  is  connected  with  carrj'ing 
the  mail  on  the  sabbath — it  is  this ;  That  the  mail  is  commonly  carried  by  a 
stage-driver.  He  claims  to  be  the  servant  of  the  General  Government ;  they 
have  bid  him  proceed  on  his  way  on  sabbaths,  as  well  as  other  days  ; — and  this 
makes  a  covert  for  all  his  load  of  passengers.  Thus,  is  the  holy  sabbath,  by 
this  arrangement,  greatly  polluted.  We  have  been  in  a  state  of  profound 
peace  for  more  than  twenty  years  since  the  estabhshment  of  the  Federal  Gov- 
ernment. Has  it  been  so  important,  that  our  newspapers  and  letters  should 
fiy  to  us ;  or  even  that  public  papers  should  be  so  speedily  forwarded,  as  to 
make  carrying  the  mail  a  work  of  necessity  for  the  sabbath '?  With  the  Bible 
open  before  us,  dare  we  say,  it  is  right  ?    Do  we  believe  that  God  approves  of 


108  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

Could  these  men  who  tremble  at  God's  word,  be  indulged 
the  most  free  access  to  the  first  ruler  of  the  nation,  and  to 
all  in  authority,  in  the  general,  and  particular  governments 
of  these  United  States,  they  would  anxiously  entreat  them 
not  to  foro^et,  that  it  is  the  Supreme  Ruler  Avhose  hand  is 
lifted  up  over  us  ;  and  that  he  is  chastening  us  for  our  impi- 
ety and  disobedience.  They  would  gladly  draw  the  atten- 
tion of  the  whole  nation  to  this  consideration.  If  they 
could  be  heard  by  the  whole  nation,  they  would  speak  on 
this  wise : 

"  Fellow  Countrymen ! 

"  We  are  not  merely  citizens  of  the  United  States  ;  we 
are  also  subjects  of  the  moral  government  of  the  most  high 
God.  His  laws  are  clearly  revealed  in  the  scriptures  of 
truth,  and  they  are  laws  which  are  good  and  righteous  alto- 
gether. But  we  have  walked  contrary  unto  them ;  and  in 
doing  so  have  dishonored  his  holy  name,  and  done  ourselves 
the  greatest  injury.     We  have  disbelieved  his  word,  taken 

it  7     Is  God  any  less  displeased  because  it  is  done  by  a  nation  7  or  is  he  any 
less  able  to  punish  it  1 

Government,  under  the  appearance  of  avoiding  every  thing  oppressive  in  the 
things  of  religion,  may  greatly  oppress  the  subjects.  For  example;  If  the 
legislature  of  this  state  should  fix  the  sitting  of  the  courts  of  justice  upon  a 
particular  day  of  the  month,  without  having  any  respect  to  the  day  of  the  v:eel\ 
they  would  require  the  judges  and  jury,  the  plaintiff  and  defendant,  the  at- 
torneys and  witnesses,  to  appear  in  court  on  the  holy  day,  as  it  would  some- 
times fall  out,  when  many  of  these  men  actually  beheved  that  the  God  of 
heaven,  who  was  to  be  their  Judge,  had  required  them  to  separate  this  day 
from  all  the  business  of  this  life  to  the  more  important  concerns  of  his  everlast- 
ing kingdom.  Such  a  law  therefore  would  to  a  people,  possessing  such  a  faith, 
be  oppressive.  From  this,  it  appears  absolutely  necessary  that  those  men,  who 
make  laws  for  a  Christian  nation,  should  have  some  knowledge  of  the  Chris- 
tian scriptures,  and  of  the  laws  and  ordinances  in  which  Christians  feel  them- 
selves bound  to  walk.  This  train  of  thought  suggests  to  the  mind  what  an 
undesirable  qualification  dcisin  must  be  in  the  man,  who  is  to  make  and 
administer  the  laws  among  a  people  who  feel  themselves  bound  to  conform  to 
the  religion  of  the  Son  of  God. 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  109 

his  name  in  vain,  profaned  his  sabbaths,  and  despised  his 
holy  things.  We  have  been  made  proud  by  his  multiplied 
favors,  so  that  we  have  hardened  our  hearts  against  HIM, 
and  against  our  fellow  men.  The  works  of  the  flesh  are 
manifest  in  our  land,  some  of  which  are  these ;  "  Adultery, 
fornication,  uncleanness,  lasciviousness,  idolatry,  witchcraft, 
hatred,  variance,  emulations,  wrath,  strife,  seditions,  heresies, 
envyings,  murders,  drunkenness,  revellin^s,  and  such  like." 
Is  it  not  the  prevalence  of  these  transgressions  of  the  laws 
of  God,  which  has  caused  him  to  whet  his  glittering  sword, 
and  with  his  hand  to  take  hold  on  vengeance  ?  And  shall 
we  even  now,  by  our  lightness  under  the  scourge,  and  by 
persisting  in  sin,  defy  the  Almighty  to  liarm  us  ?  Some  of 
our  fellow  countrymen  have  fallen  before  the  sword,  and 
thousands  have  fallen  before  the  pestilence ;  and  who  can 
tell  what  a  year  will  bring  forth  T  These  temporal  suffer- 
ings, we  should  remember,  are  only  a  prelude  to  the  more 
dreadful  miseries,  which  will  hereafter  be  endured  by  those 
who,  being  often  reproved,  have  hardened  their  necks.  Let 
us  hearken  to  the  advice  given  by  the  king  of  Nineveh  to 
his  subjects,  at  a  time  when  destruction  seemed  to  be  at  the 
door.  He  exhorted  them  to  "  cry  mightily  unto  God,  and 
to  turn  every  one  from  his  evil  way,  and  from  the  violence 
that  was  in  his  hand"' :"  for  s^^.id  he.  "  Who  can  tell  if  God. 
will  turn  and  repent,  and  turn  away  from  his  fierce  anger, 
that  we  perish  not  ?"  Some  of  you  may  say,  These  men 
are  mad ;  an  enthusiastic  brain  has  made  them  view  every 
thing  through  a  false  medium  :  but  those  of  you,  who  have 
searched  the  scriptures,  will  be  constrained  to  say,  that  we 
speak  the  words  of  truth  and  soberness.  If  our  Bibles  were 
not  laid  out  of  sight,  or  our  consciences  dreadfully  stupified, 
the  single  sin  of  a  wanton  profanation  of  the  sabbath, 
would  be  sufficient  to  awake  our  fears  of  the  divine  anger 

*  The  United  States  were  now  engaged  in  a  war  with  Great  Britain. 
10 


110  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

and  indignation.  And  this  sin  is  only  one  among  a  thou- 
sand. "  Come  and  let  us  return  unto  the  Lord ;  for  he  hath 
torn,  and  he  will  heal  us  ;  he  hath  smitten,  and  he  will  bind 
us  up."  "  But  if  ye  will  not  hear,  our  soul  shall  weep  in 
secret  places  for  your  pricZe." 

In  such  language  as  this,  would  the  godly  address  their 
fellow  countrymen  of  all  ranks  and  political  opinions,  at  this 
time  of  general  calamity.  Let  it  be  remembered,  that  reli- 
gion is  not  a  party  spirit ;  it  is  its  nature  to  seek  general 
good,  and  in  this  it  wishes  all  to  unite.  It  should  be  one 
consolation  to  the  godly,  that  if  they  cannot  communicate 
their  feelings  on  these  subjects  to  all  the  members  of  this 
extensive  republic,  they  may  Avith  the  utmost  freedom  pour 
out  their  hearts  before  God.  They  may  confess  their  own 
sins,  and  the  sins  of  the  nation,  before  the  mercy-seat.  They 
may  stand  in  the  breach,  by  their  fervent  prayers,  to  turn 
away  the  wrath  of  the  Lord  from  the  land,  which  he  has 
heretofore  so  greatly  distinguished  by  his  blessings. 

V.  In  view  of  the  passages  of  scripture,  which  have  been 
examined  in  the  preceding  discourses,  it  is  very  manifest, 
that  there  is  much  profaning  of  the  sabbath  by  the  visible 
church  of  Christ.  No  Christian,  even  the  most  enlightened 
and  sanctified,  can  say  that  he  is  wholly  free  from  this  sin ; 
yet  there  are  many  who  are  pretty  uniformly  exemplary  in 
their  observance  of  the  sabbath.  Would  to  God  it  were  so 
with  all  who  have  named  the  name  of  Christ !  But  in  the 
Christian  church,  it  is  to  be  feared,  are  found  those  who 
labor  on  the  Lord's  da3^ ;  those  who  trade  ;  those  who  travel ; 
those  who  devote  the  day  to  recreation ;  those  who  read 
profane  histories,  novels  and  newspapers ;  and  those  who 
speak  their  own  words  without  any  restraint ;  and  those 
who  do  not  keep  in  their  children  and  servants,  and  restrain 
them  from  openly  polluting  the  day.  Many  professed  Chris- 
tians take  no  heed  about  encroaching  upon  the  first  and  last 
hours  of  the  sabbath.    In  some  churches  more  than  others, 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  Ill 

these  things  abound.  It  becomes  the  churches  to  look  into 
these  things  ;  deeply  to  bewail  their  sinful  backslidino^s,  and 
to  set  themselves,  in  the  use  of  the  discipline,  which  Christ 
has  appointed,  to  purge  his  temple  from  these  spiritual  de- 
filements. The  church  of  Christ  is  a  city  set  on  a  hill,  it 
cannot  therefore  be  hid.  If  it  be  beautiful,  its  beauty  will 
be  seen  ;  if  it  be  otherwise,  it  must  be  known.  If  we  who 
profess  to  love  God,  do  not  love  his  day,  and  keep  it  in 
a  holy  and  exemplary  manner,  we  do  more  than  others  to 
bring  it  into  contempt.  May  we  see  a  reformation  in  this, 
as  well  as  in  other  things,  begin  at  the  house  of  God;  and 
oh  that  it  might  not  stop  until  it  has  pervaded  the  whole 
community ! 

VI.  In  attending  to  the  Bible  description  of  the  sabbath, 
the  mind  is  carried  forward  to  the  Millennium,  to  reflect 
with  pleasure  on  the  sabbath-day  as  it  will  then  be  sanctified. 
As  there  was  a  distinction  between  common,  and  holy  time, 
in  paradise ;  so  there  will  be  in  the  time  of  Christ's  spiritual 
reign  on  earth.  The  glory  of  this  period  will  consist  in 
the  peculiar  holiness  of  it.  The  holiness  will  be  greater  in 
degree,  and  more  extensive  in  its  spread,  than  in  any  former 
age  of  the  world.  "  In  that  day,"  says  the  prophet,  "  shall 
there  be  upon  the  bells  of  the  horses.  Holiness  unto  the 
Lord  ;  and  the  pots  in  the  Lord's  house  shall  be  like  the 
bowls  before  the  altar.  Yea,  every  pot  in  Jerusalem,  and  in 
Judah,  shall  be  holiness  unto  the  Lord  of  hosts :"  Zech.  xiv. 
20,  21.  By  this  prediction  we  are  taught,  how  the  glory  of' 
God  will  then  be  ultimately  regarded  in  evei'y  things  even 
in  putting  bells  on  die  horses,  and  in  dressing  and  eating 
the  common  meals  of  the  family.  But  even  then^  there  will 
be  a  distinction  between  a  common,  and  a  sacramental 
meal ;  between  a  common  washing,  and  Christian  baptism, 
and  between  our  days  and  the  Lord's  day.  And  no  doubt 
the  people  of  the  Millennium  will  be  as  much  more  exem- 
plary than  their  predecessors,  in  their  sanctification  of  the 


112  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

Lord's  day,  as  they  will  be  in  their  improvement  of  common 
time.  Their  eminent  piety,  will  peculiarly  prepare  them  to 
call  the  sabbath  a  delight^  and  the  holy  of  the  Lord  honor- 
able. Their  glowing  zeal  in  the  cause  of  religion,  and  sweet 
relish  for  the  word  and  ordinances  of  God,  will  prepare  them 
to  welcome  the  holy  day  the  first  moment  it  arrives ;  and 
will  prevent  them  from  saying,  When  will  the  sabbath  be 
gone,  that  we  may  return  to  the  profits  and  pleasures  of  the 
world  ?  Then  "  from  one  sabbath  to  another  shall  all  flesh 
come  to  worship  before  the  Lord."  All  nations  will  be  dis- 
cipled.  The  face  of  the  earth,  which  will  then  be  covered 
with  many  hundreds  of  millions  of  inhabitants,  will  all  be 
divided  into  religious  societies,  or  congregations ;  and  each 
of  these  will  build  a  sanctuary  to  the  name  of  the  Lord. 
These  sanctuaries  will  every  sabbath  be  crowded  with 
solemn  worshippers,  and  attentive  hearers,  who  will  be 
blessed  with  pious  and  faithful  pastors.  The  Lord  of  the 
harvest  will  then  send  forth  laborers  into  the  harvest;  and 
great  shall  be  the  company  who  will  publish  the  glad 
tidings  of  the  gospel.  Then  the  table  of  the  Lord  will  be 
surrounded  with  spiritual  communicants,  and  none  shall  be 
found  there  who  will  render  the  table  of  the  Lord  contempt- 
ible ;  for  then  the  Lord's  people  shall  all  be  righteous. 

In  this  blessed  period,  which  is  yet  future,  the  sabbath 
will  be  sanctified  in  all  their  dwellings,  as  well  as  in  the 
house  of  God.  Every  family-altar  will  smoke  with  the 
incense  of  prayer  and  praise.  Every  household  will,  on 
this  day  especially,  be  instructed  into  the  things  of  the  king- 
dom of  God.  The  talk  will  not  be  vain  or  worldly ;  but 
such  as  becomes  the  day  which  the  Lord  hath  set  apart  for 
himself*  The  Holy  Bible,  with  books  of  piety,  will  so 
engage  their  attention,  that  they  will  not  need  to  read  any 

*  Intermission  seasons  will  not  then  be  a  recess  from  religious  duties,  but 
only  a  change  from  public  to  private  worship,  and  from  public  instruction  to 
thftt  takimg  sweet  counsel  together,  which  is  one  good  improvement  of  the  day. 


DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH.  113 

Others,  to  prevent  the  day  from  being  tedious.  How  greatly 
will  the  sabbath,  when  it  shall  be  thus  sanctified,  promote 
the  honor  of  God,  and  the  good  of  mankind  !  Our  whole 
race  will  then  appear  like  one  family^  acknowledging  their 
Father  in  heaven.  Our  all  uniting  in  the  sanctification  of 
the  weekly  sabbath,  will  be  one  of  the  most  striking  ways, 
in  which  the  unity  of  the  human  family  will  be  manifested. 
Me7i  and  women  will  be  united  in  the  sanctification  of  the 
Lord's  day.  Rich  and  'poor;  learned  and  unlearned  ;  kings 
and  rulers^  and  their  subjects  ;  parents  and  their  children  ; 
masters  and  their  servants^  will  all  unite  in  devoting  the 
sabbath  to  religion.  The  husbandman  will  leave  his  plough, 
the  mechanic  his  shop,  the  merchant  his  store,  the  attorney 
his  office,  and.  the  traveller,  wherever  the  sabbath  shall  over- 
take him,  will  suspend  his  journey.  They  are  each  pur- 
suing his  own  employment  through  the  six  days  of  labor ; 
but  when  that  "  sweet  day  of  rest  returns,  which  saw  the 
Lord  arise,^^  they  all  become  one  in  their  employment. 
The  infinitely  important  subject  of  religion  is  now,  not  only 
their  ultimate  end,  but  is  the  sole  business  of  the  day.  And 
these  truly  sanctified  sabbaths,  will  prepare  them  all  to  fill 
up  their  difterent  stations,  during  the  other  days  of  the 
week,  with  duty  and  usefulness. 

The  friends  of  piety  will  anticipate  such  a  period  with 
great  pleasure.  They,  who  have  been  grieved  to  see,  how 
"  the  holy  of  the  Lord"  has  been  dishonored,  will  rejoice 
that  this  day  is  hereafter  to  be  highly  honored,  and  greatly 
and  universally  sanctified.  They  will  also  be  reminded, 
that  what  the  sabbath  will  be  in  the  Millennium^  such  it 
ought  to  be  now.  And  a  reformation  with  respect  to  the 
sabbath,  (which,  depending  on  God,  might  easily  be  effected, 
if  we  were  not  heedless  or  stubborn,)  would  do  much  toward 
making  the  crooked  things  straight  and  the  rough  places 
smooth,  that  the  way  of  the  Lord  might  be  prepared. 

To  conclude: — Let  the  inspired  passages  which  have 
10* 


114  DISCOURSES  ON  THE  SABBATH. 

been  introduced,  and  the  explanations  and  remarks  to  which 
they  have  given  rise,  be  impartially  considered,  and  let  them 
have  due  influence  on  our  minds,  and  on  our  practice.  If 
there  is  one  day  in  the  week,  on  which  we  are  forbidden  to 
do  our  own  work,  find  our  own  'pleasure^  or  speak  our  own 
words,  it  is  of  high  importance  that  we  should  be  acquainted 
with  the  prohibition. 

,  The  subject,  my  hearers,  to  which  your  attention  has  been 
called  in  this  series  of  discourses,  is  a  practical  and  interest- 
ing one;  and  I  have  endeavored  to  treat  it  in  a  plain, 
familiar,  and  solemn  manner.  I  would  now  leave  it  upon 
your  consciences,  and  commend  it,  and  you,  to  the  blessing 
of  HIM,  who  spake  from  the  burning  mount,  saying,  Re- 
member THE  Sabbath-day,  to  keep  it  holy. 

To  HIM  be  paid  the  pure  and  growing  worship  of  that 
Sabbath  which  shall  never  end,  and  of  that  Assembly  which 
shall  never  break  up !     Amen. 


APPENDIX. 


The  following  facts  and  observations,  relating  to  the  subject  of  the  Sabbath, 
partly  original  and  partly  extracts,  will  not  be  uninteresting  in  connexion  with 
the  preceding  work. 


In  the  spring  of  1819,  two  gentlemen,  who  had  resided  at  the 
south  for  a  few  months,  wishing  to  return  to  the  north,  came  to 
Charleston,  S.  C.  with  a  view  of  taking  a  passage  to  New-York. 
The  vessels  were  in  the  habit  of  setting  sail  on  the  sabbath. 
After  waiting  in  vain  to  find  one  which  would  sail  on  some  other 

day  of  the  week,  they  applied  to  Capt.  M of  the  brig  Amelia, 

which  was  advertised  to  sail  on  the  ensuing  sabbath,  to  endeavor 
to  prevail  on  him  to  sail  a  day  or  two  sooner,  or  to  wait  till  the 
next  Monday.  The  application  was  made  in  vain — for,  as  he 
said,  all  his  passengers  were  engaged,  and  all  his  arrangements 
were  made,  so  that  nothing  could  induce  him  to  alter  his  plan. 

As  one  of  the  gentlemen  was  returning  from  church  sabbath 
evening,  he  saw  the  brig  lying  at  the  wharf  He  went  on  board, 
and  saw  only  the  steward  of  the  vessel,  a  colored  man ;  to  whom 
he  said,  "Steward,  I  thought  you  was  to  have  sailed  to-day?" 
He  replied,  "  Massa,  we  v'e  been  trying  all  day  to  get  out  of  the 
harbor,  but  could  n't — Captain,  and  all  the  passengers,  and  pilot, 
are  aboard,  and  we  shall  go  as  soon  as  it 's  day-light  in  the  morn- 
ing." The  gentleman  requested  the  steward  to  ask  the  captain, 
(who  had  retired  to  his  berth,)  if  he  would  take  another  passen- 
ger.    He  returned  with  an  affirmative  answer. 

The  gentlem.an  was  at  the  wharf  with  his  baggage,  early  on 
Monday  morning.  The  brig  got  under  weigh  at  sunrise ;  and  in 
little  more  than  an  hour  was  over  the  bar  and  out?ide  of  the  har- 
bor— and  at  ten  o'clock  A.  M.  was  out  of  sight  of  land,  on  the 


116  APPENDIX. 

way  to  New-York,  The  voyage  was  a  pleasant  one,  except  that 
the  gentleman  alluded  to  was  much  annoyed  on  account  of  his 
religious  principles,  (and  particularly  that  he  would  not  sail  out 
of  port  on  the  sabbath,)  by  a  set  of  wicked  passengers. 

The  brig  arrived  in  New-York  on  Saturday  evening,  much  to 
the  gratification  of  the  gentleman,  but  greatly  to  the  mortifica- 
tion of  the  other  passengers,  who  had,  on  the  voyage,  declared 
that  if  the  vessel  did  not  arrive  at  New- York  before  Sunday,  they 
would  throw  him  overboard.  The  captain  became  convinced  that 
his  new  passenger  was  right ;  and  actually  charged  him  ten  dol- 
lars less  than  he  did  the  other  passengers. 

Some  time  afterwards,  the  gentleman  met  him  in  New- York, 
and  was  rejoiced  to  learn  that  he  was  connected  with  a  line  of 
packets  which  did  not  sail  out  of  port  on  the  Lord's  Day. 

In  the  month  of  October,  1820,  the  same  gentleman  was  trav- 
eUing  from  the  state  of  Vermont  to  Rochester,  N.  Y,  and  other 
places.  He  had  made  an  engagement  to  be  at  Clinton,  near  Uti- 
ca,  on  Saturday  evening,  in  order  to  start  from  there  with  company, 
to  Vermont,  on  Monday  morning.  Having  been  delayed,  he  rode 
the  whole  of  one  night,  in  order  to  reach  Auburn,  to  go  on  from 
there  on  Saturday  morning.  He  waited  there  till  noon  before  the 
stage  came  in  from  the  west.  It  was  loaded  with  specie  and  four- 
teen passengers.  No  extra  was  obtained  short  of  seven  miles. 
Arriving  there  the  load  was  divided,  and  they  rode  on  till  supper 
time,  expecting  to  proceed  to  Utica  after  supper.  But  a  vote  was 
taken  by  the  passengers  and  carried,  to  go  no  further  till  the  next 
day,  although  several  of  the  company  strongly  dissented  from  it. 
The  gentleman  above  alluded  to  got  into  the  stage  and  rode  to  the 
first  village,  Vernon,  and  there  landed  with  his  baggage,  with  a 
view  of  spending  the  sabbath  where  he  could  attend  public  wor- 
ship. Some  of  the  passengers  ridiculed  him,  that,  after  paying 
his  passage,  he  should  stop,  a  perfect  stranger  as  he  was,  not 
knowing  how  he  could  go  on. 

On  returning  from  the  church  to  the  tavern,  he  recognized  an 
old  friend  who  took  him  to  his  house.  It  being  a  bright  moon 
light  night,  this  friend  insisted  on  carrying  him  to  Clinton,  which 


APPENDIX.  117 

he  did,  free  of  expense  ;  and  by  this  means  enabled  the  gentleman 
to  meet  his  friends  in  the  morning,  who  would  have  gone  on 
their  journey  had  he  not  arrived.  It  may  be  remarked,  that  those 
stages  did  not  arrive  at  Utica  till  sabbath  afternoon ;  and  a  cler- 
gyman in  the  company,  who  had  engaged  to  preach  at  Utica  that 
day,  consequently  did  not  arrive  in  season  to  fulfil  his  engagement, 

A  conscientious  christian  man, — well  known  to  the  public,  but 
now  no  more  on  earth, — was,  from  the  nature  of  his  business, 
abroad  over  the  country  a  great  portion  of  his  time.  He  was 
truly  a  devoted  disciple  of  Jesus.  Ascending  the  Mississippi  in 
one  of  the  great  steamers,  he  inquired  of  the  captain  on  Saturday,  if 
he  was  in  the  habit  of  stopping  to  keep  the  sabbath.  To  the  ears  of 
such  a  man,  the  question  of  course  sounded  very  strange  ;  and  upon 
his  answering  in  the  negative,  "  Well  then,"  said  the  passenger, 
"you  will  please  to  set  me  on  shore  at  the  next  landing-place." 
The  captain  remonstrated,  assuring  the  good  man  that  he  might  be 
left  there  a  week  without  the  opportunity  of  getting  on.  Nothing 
moved,  however,  when  once  his  mind  was  made  up,  on  a  point  of 
duty,  he  went  on  shore  ;  and  at  a  poor  neighborhood  endeavored 
to  do  good  and  to  keep  the  sabbath.  It  proved  to  him  a  happy 
day.  He  trusted  in  God,  that  some  interposition  in  his  behalf 
would  take  place ;  and  his  confidence, — as  it  proved, — was  not 
misplaced.  After  a  refreshing  sleep  he  arose  early  on  Monday 
morning;  and  one  of  the  first  sounds  which  greeted  his  ear,  was 
the  bell  of  an  ascending  steamer,  announcing  her  approach  to  the 
landing. 

In  the  year  1822,  the  British  House  of  Commons  appointed  a 
committee  to  investigate  the  effects  of  laboring  seven  days  in  a 
week  compared  with  those  of  laboring  six,  and  resting  one.  They 
examined  a  large  number  of  witnesses.  Among  them  was  Dr. 
Farre,  of  London,  a  celebrated  physician  of  much  experience. 
He  says : 

'•  I  have  practised  as  a  physician  between  thirty  and  forty  years ; 
and  during  the  early  part  of  my  life,  as  the  physician  of  a  public 
medical  institution,  I  had  the  charge  of  the  poor  in  one  of  the  most 
populous  districts  of  London.     I  have  had  occasion  to  observe  the 


118  APPENDIX. 

observance  and  non-observance  of  the  seventh  day  of  rest  during 
this  time.  I  have  been  in  the  habit,  during  a  great  many  years, 
of  considering  the  uses  of  the  sabbath,  and  of  observing  its  abuses. 
The  abuses  are  chiefly  manifested  in  labor  and  dissipation.  Its 
use,  medically  speaking,  is  that  of  a  day  of  rest.  As  a  day  of 
rest,  I  view  it  as  a  day  of  compensation  for  the  inadequate  restora- 
tive power  of  the  body  under  continued  labor  and  excitement.  A 
physician  always  has  respect  to  the  preservation  of  the  restorative 
power ;  because,  if  once  this  be  lost,  his  healing  office  is  at  an  end. 
A  physician  is  anxious  to  preserve  the  balance  of  circulation,  as  ne- 
cessary to  the  restorative  power  of  the  body.  The  ordinary  exer- 
tions of  man  run  down  the  circulation  every  day  of  his  hfe ;  and 
the  first  general  law  of  nature,  by  which  God  prevents  man  from 
destroying  himself,  is  the  alternating  of  day  and  night,  that  repose 
may  succeed  action.  But,  although  the  night  apparently  equal- 
izes the  circulation,  yet  it  does  not  sufficiently  restore  its  balance 
for  the  attainment  of  a  long  life.  Hence,  one  day  in  seven,  by  the 
bounty  of  Providence,  is  thrown  in  as  a  day  of  compensation,  to 
perfect,  by  its  repose,  the  animal  system.  You  may  easily  deter- 
mine this  question,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  by  trying  it  on  beasts  of 
burden.  Take  that  fine  animal,  the  horse,  and  work  him  to  the 
full  extent  of  his  powers  every  day  in  the  week,  or  give  him 
rest  one  day  in  seven,  and  you  will  soon  perceive,  by  the  superior 
vigor  with  which  he  performs  his  functions  on  the  other  six  days, 
that  this  rest  is  necessary  to  his  well-being.  Man,  possessing  a 
superior  nature,  is  borne  along  by  the  very  vigor  of  his  mind,  so 
that  the  injury  of  continuM  diurnal  exertion  and  excitement  on  his 
animal  system,  is  not  so  immediately  apparent  as  it  is  in  the  brute ; 
but,  in  the  long  run,  he  breaks  down  more  suddenly ;  it  abridges 
the  length  of  his  life,  and  that  vigor  of  his  old  age  (as  to  mere  ani- 
mal power)  ought  to  be  the  object  of  his  preservation.  I  consider, 
therefore,  that,  in  the  bountiful  provision  of  Providence  for  the 
preservation  of  human  life,  the  sabbatical  appointment  is  not  as  it 
has  been  sometimes  theologically  viewed,  simply  a  precept  par- 
taking of  the  nature  of  a  political  institution,  but  that  it  is  to  be 
numbered  amongst  the  natural  duties,  if  the  preservation  of  life 
be  a  duty,  and  the  premature  destruction  of  it  a  suicidal  act.     This 


APPENDIX.  119 

is  said  simply  as  a  physician,  and  without  reference  at  all  to  the 
theological  question  ;  but  if  you  consider  further  the  proper  effects 
of  real  Christianity,  namely,  peace  of  mind,  confiding  trust  in 
God,  and  good-will  to  man,  you  will  perceive  in  this  source  of  re- 
newed vigor  to  the  mind,  and  through  the  mind  to  the  body,  an 
additional  spring  of  life  imparted  from  this  higher  use  of  the  sab- 
bath as  a  holy  rest.  Were  I  to  pursue  this  part  of  the  question, 
I  should  be  touching  on  the  duties  committed  to  the  clergy:  but 
this  will  I  say, — that  researches  in  physiology^  by  the  analogy  of 
the  working  of  Providence  in  nature,  will  show  that  the  divine 
commandment  is  not  to  be  considered  as  an  arbitrary  enactment, 
but  as  an  appointment  necessary  to  man.  This  is  the  position  in 
which  I  would  place  it,  as  contradistinguished  from  precept  and 
legislation ;  I  would  point  out  the  sabbatical  rest  as  necessary  to 
man,  and  that  the  great  enemies  of  the  sabbath,  and  consequently 
the  enemies  of  man,  are,  all  laborious  exercises  of  the  body  or 
mind,  and  dissipation,  which  force  the  circulation  on  that  day  in 
which  it  should  repose  ;  while  relaxation  from  the  ordinary  cares 
of  life,  the  enjoyment  of  this  repose  in  the  bosom  of  one's  family, 
with  the  religious  studies  and  duties  which  the  day  enjoins, — not 
one  of  which,  if  rightly  exercised,  tends  to  abridge  life, — consti- 
tute the  beneficial  and  appropriate  service  of  the  day. 

"  I  have  found  it  essential  to  my  own  well-being,  as  a  physician, 
to  abridge  my  labor  on  the  sabbath  to  what  is  actually  necessary. 
I  have  frequently  observed  the  premature  death  of  medical  men 
from  continued  exertion.  In  warm  climates  and  in  active  service 
this  is  painfully  apparent.  I  have  advised  the  clergyman  also,  in 
lieu  of  his  sabbath,  to  rest  one  day  in  the  week;  it  forms  a  con- 
tinual prescription  of  mine.  I  have  seen  many  destroyed  by  their 
duties  on  that  day ;  and  to  preserve  others,  I  have  frequently  sus- 
pended them,  for  a  season,  from  the  discharge  of  those  duties.  I 
would  say,  further,  that,  quitting  the  grosser  evils  of  mere  animal 
living  from  over-stimulation  and  undue  exercise  of  body,  the  work- 
ing of  the  mind  in  one  continued  train  of  thought  is  destructive  of 
life  in  the  most  distinguished  class  of  society,  and  that  senators 
themselves  stand  in  need  of  reform  in  that  particular.  I  have 
observed  many  of  them  destroyed  by  neglecting  this  economy  of 


120  APPENDIX. 

life.  Therefore,  to  all  men,  of  whatever  class,  who  must  necessa- 
rily be  occupied  six  days  in  the  week,  I  would  recommend  to  ab- 
stain on  the  seventh ;  and,  in  the  course  of  life,  by  giving  to  their 
bodies  the  repose,  and  to  their  minds  the  change  of  ideas,  suited 
to  the  day,  they  would  assuredly  gain  by  it.  In  fact,  by  the  in- 
creased vigor  imparted,  more  mental  work  would  be  accomplished 
in  their  lives.  A  human  being  is  so  constituted  that  he  needs  a 
day  of  rest  both  from  mental  and  bodily  labor." 

Mr.  Wilberforce  says,  "  O  what  a  blessed  day  is  the  sabbath, 
which  allows  us  a  precious  interval  wherein  to  pause,  to  come  out 
from  the  thickets  of  worldly  concerns,  and  give  ourselves  up  to 
heavenly  and  spiritual  objects.  Observation  and  my  own  experience 
have  convinced  me  that  there  is  a  special  blessing  on  the  right  employ- 
ment of  these  intervals.  One  of  their  prime  objects,  in  my  judg- 
ment, is  to  strengthen  our  impressions  of  invisible  things,  and  to 
induce  a  habit  of  living  much  under  their  influence."  "  I  can 
truly  declare  that  to  me  the  sabbath  has  been  invaluable.''^  When 
Wilberforce  heard  of  the  death  of  Lord  Castlereagh,  who  came  to 
an  untimely  end,  he  exclaimed,  "  Poor  fellow  !  He  was  certainly 
deranged — the  effect,  probably,  of  continued  wear  of  mind.  The 
strong  impression  on  my  mind  is,  that  it  is  the  effect  of  the  non- 
observance  of  the  sabbath  :  both  as  to  abstracting  from  politics,  and 
from  the  constant  recurring  of  the  same  reflections,  and  as  correct- 
ing the  false  views  of  worldly  things  and  bringing  them  down  to 
their  true  diminutiveness." 

Another  British  writer  remarks,  "  We  never  knew  a  man  work 
seven  days  in  a  week,  who  did  not  kill  himself  or  kill  his  mind." 

A  distinguished  financier,  charged  with  an  immense  amount  of 
property  during  the  great  pecuniary  pressure  of  1836  and  1837, 
said,  '•'  I  should  have  been  a  dead  man,  had  it  not  been  for  the 
sabbath.  Obliged  to  work  from  morning  till  night,  through  the 
whole  week,  I  felt  on  Saturday,  as  if  I  must  have  rest.  It  was 
like  going  into  a  dense  fog.  Every  thing  looked  dark  and 
gloomy,  as  if  nothing  could  be  saved.  I  dismissed  all,  and  kept 
the  sabbath  in  the  good  old  way.  On  Monday  it  was  all  bright 
sunshine.      I  could  see  through,  and  I  got  through.      But  had 


APPENDIX.  121 

it  not  been  for  the  sabbath,  I  have  no  doubt  I  should  have  been  in 
the  grave." 

Dr.  Sewall,  of  Washington  City,  remarks,  "  For  a  number  of 
years,  I  have  been  in  close  intimacy  and  intercourse  with  men4n 
public  life,  officers  of  the  government,  and  representatives  in  the 
national  legislature,  and  eminent  jurists,  whose  labors  are  gene- 
rally great,  and  whose  duties  are  arduous  and  pressing.  Some  of 
them  have  considered  it  their  privilege,  as  well  as  their  duty,  to 
suspend  their  public  functions,  while  others  have  continued  them 
to  the  going  down  of  the  sabbath  sun.  Upon  the  commencement 
of  the  secular  week,  the  one  class  arise  with  all  their  powers  invig- 
orated and  refreshed,  while  the  other  come  to  their  duties  with 
body  and  mind  jaded  and  out  of  tone.  I  have  no  hesitation  in  de- 
claring it  as  my  opinion  that,  if  the  sabbath  were  universally  ob- 
served, as  a  day  of  devotion  and  of  rest  from  secular  occupations, 
far  more  work  of  body  and  mind  would  be  acco?)iplished,  and  be  better 
done;  more  health  icould  be  enjoyed^  icith  more  of  icealth  and  inde- 
pendence,  and  we  should  have  far  less  of  crime^  and  jpoverty^  and 
suffering  y 

Dr.  J.  P.  Harrison  says,  "  The  sabbath  was  made  for  man.  This 
truth  is  forcibly  exemplified  in  the  benefits  conferred  on  the  bodies 
of  men  by  a  proper  observance  of  God's  holy  day  of  rest.  Inces- 
sant, uninterrupted  toil  wears  out  the  energies  of  man's  limited 
strength.  The  elasticity  of  the  spring  is  destroyed  by  unabated 
pressure.  The  nervous  system  is  especially  relieved  by  alterna- 
tions of  activity  and  repose,  and  by  diversification  of  impressions. 
The  sacred  quietness  of  the  sabbath  takes  off  from  the  brain  that 
excessive  fulness  of  blood  which  the  mental  and  bodily  exercise  of 
six  days  is  calculated  to  produce.  The  change  of  dress,  the  social 
worship,  the  physical  rest,  and  the  transfer  of  thought  and  feeling 
from  earthly  interests  to  higher  objects,  not  only  harmonize  the 
moral,  but  they  refresh  and  invigorate  the  bodily  powers.  All  ex- 
perience is  expressive  of  this  universal  proposition,  that  a  longer 
life  and  a  greater  degree  of  healthy  are  the  sure  results  of  a  careful 
regard  to  the  commandrnentj  '  Remember  the  sabbath-day  to  keep  it 

holy:  » 

^  11 


122  APPENDIX. 

Dr.  J.  C.  Warren,  of  Boston,  says,  "  So  far  as  my  observation 
has  extended,  those  persons  who  are  in  the  habit  of  avoiding 
worldly  cares  on  the  sabbath,  are  those  most  remarkable  for  the 
perfect  performance  of  their  duties  during-  the  week.  The  influ- 
ence of  a  change  of  thought,  on  the  sabbath,  upon  the  minds  of 
such  persons,  resembles  that  of  the  change  of  food  upon  the  body. 
It  seems  to  give  a  fresh  spring  to  the  mental  operations,  as  the  latter 
does  to  the  physical.  I  have  a  firm  belief  that  such  persons  are  able 
to  do  more  work^  and  do  it  in  a  better  manner^  in  six  days^  than  if 
they  toorked  the  whole  seven.  The  breathing  of  the  pure  and  sub- 
lime atmosphere  of  a  religious  sabbath  refreshes  and  invigorates 
the  spirit.  It  forms  an  epoch  in  our  existence  from  which  we 
receive  a  new  impulse,  and  thus  constitutes  the  best  preparation 
for  the  labors  of  the  following  week." 

At  a  regular  meeting  of  the  New  Haven  Medical  Association, 
composed  of  twenty-five  physicians,  among  whom  were  the  profes- 
sors of  the  Medical  College,  the  following  questions  were  considered: 

1.  Is  the  position  taken  by  Dr.  Farre,  in  his  testimony  before 
the  committee  of  the  British  House  of  Commons,  in  your  view, 
correct?  2.  Will  men  who  labor  but  six  days  in  a  week  be  more 
healthy  and  live  longer,  other  things  being  equal,  than  those  who 
labor  seven  ?  3.  Will  they  do  more  work,  and  do  it  in  a  better 
manner  1 — The  vote  on  the  above  was  unanimously  in  the  affirma- 
tive; signed  by  Eli  Ives,  chairman,  and  Pliny  A.  Jewett,  clerk. 

The  opinions  of  the  above,  and  numerous  other  distinguished 
medical  gentlemen,  are  abundantly  confirmed  by  facts.  "  Several 
physicians  who  have  lived  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Erie  canal, 
have  witnessed  the  deteriorating  effects  of  seven  days'  working 
upon  the  physical  constitution,  both  of  man  and  beast — making  it 
fully  evident,  that  men  are  more  sickly  than  others,  bring  upon 
themselves,  in  greater  numbers,  a  premature  old  age,  and  sink  to  an 
untimely  grave.  Not  only  is  it  true  that  men  who  labor  but  six 
days  in  a  week,  and  rest  one,  are  more  healthy,  merely,  and  live 
longer  than  those  who  labor  seven  ;  but  they  do  more  work^  and  in 
a  better  manner.  The  experiment  was  tried  in  England,  upon  two 
thousand  men.     They  were  employed  for  years  seven  days  in  a 


APPF.NDTX-.  123 

week.  To  render  them  contented  in  giving  up  their  right  to  the 
sabbath  as  a  day  of  rest,  [that  birth-right  of  the  human  family^  they 
paid  them  double  wages  on  that  day,  i.  e.  eight  days'  wages  for 
seven  days'  labor.  But  they  could  not  keep  them  healthy,  nor  make 
them  moral.  Things  went  badly,  and  they  changed  their  course — 
employed  the  workmen  only  six  days  in  a  week,  and  allowed  them 
to  rest  on  the  sabbath.  The  consequence  was,  that  they  did  more 
work  than  ever  before.  This,  the  superintendent  said,  was  owing 
to  two  causes,  viz.,  the  demoralization  of  the  people  under  the  first 
system,  and  their  exhaustion  of  bodily  strength^  which  was  visible  to 
the' most  casual  observer. 

In  the  year  1839,  a  committee  was  appointed  in  the  legislature 
of  Pennsylvania,  who  made  a  report  with  regard  to  the  employ- 
ment of  laborers  on  their  canals.  In  that  report,  they  say,  in 
reference  to  those  who  had  petitioned  against  the  employment  of 
the  workmen  on  the  sabbath :  "  They  assert,  as  the  result  of  their 
experience^  that  both  man  and  beast  can  do  more  work  by  resting 
one  day  in  seven,  than  by  working  on  the  whole  seven."  They 
also  add,  "  Your  committee  feel  free  to  confess  that  their  own  expe- 
rience^ as  business  men,  farmers,  or  legislators,  corresponds  with 
the  assertion." 

The  minister  of  marine  in  France  has  addressed  a  letter  to  'all 
the  maritime  prefects,  directing  that  no  workman,  except  in  case  of 
absolute  necessity,  be  employed  in  the  government  dock-yards  on 
the  sabbath.  One  reason  which  he  gives  is,  that  men  who  do  not 
rest  on  the  sabbath  do  not  perform  as  much  labor  during  the  week, 
and,  of  course,  that  it  is  not  profitable  to  the  state  to  have  labor  per- 
formed on  that  day.  Another  reason  is,  that  it  is  useful  to  the  state 
to  promote  among  the  laboring  classes,  the  religious  observance  of 
the  sabbath. 

The  experiment  was  tried  in  a  large  flouring  establishment. 
For  a  number  of  years,  they  worked  the  mills  seven  days  in  a 
week.  The  superintendent  was  then  changed.  He  ordered  all 
the  works  to  be  stopped  at  eleven  o'clock  on  Saturday  night,  and 
to  start  none  of  them  till  one  o'clock  on  Monday  morning ;  thus 


124  APPENDIX. 

allowing  a  full  sabbath  every  week.  The  consequence  was,  that 
the  same  workmen,  during  the  year,  actually  ground  thousands  of 
bushels  more  than  had  ever  been  ground,  in  a  single  year,  in  that 
establishment  before.  The  men  having  been  permitted  to  cleanse 
themselves,  put  on  their  best  apparel,  rest  from  worldly  business, 
go  with  their  families  to  the  house  of  God,  and  devote  the  sabbath 
to  its  appropriate  duties,  were  more  healthy,  moral,  punctual  and 
diligent.  They  lost  less  time  in  drinking,  dissipation  and  quarrels. 
They  were  more  clear-headed  and  whole-hearted ;  knew  better  how 
to  do  things,  and  were  more  disposed  to  do  them  in  the  right  way. 

It  has  been  said  that  those  who  manufacture  salt  by  boiling, 
must  violate  the  sabbath,  because  it  will  not  do  to  let  the  kettles 
cool  down  as  often  as  once  a  week.  But  a  gentleman  tried  the 
experiment,  who  said  that,  if  he  could  not  keep  the  sabbath,  he 
would  not  make  salt.  He  had  thirty-two  kettles.  He  allowed 
the  fires  to  go  out,  and  all  the  works  to  stop,  from  Saturday  till 
Monday.  His  men  attended  public  worship  on  the  sabbath.  In 
the  course  of  the  season,  they  boiled  seventy-eight  days,  and  made, 
upon  an  average,  over  two  hundred  bushels  of  salt  a  day — in  all 
fifteen  thousand  eight  hundred  and  seventy  bushels ;  and  at  an 
expense,  for  breakage  and  repairs,  of  only  six  cents.  At  the  close 
of  the  season,  he  told  his  sabbath-breaking  neighbors  how  much 
he  had  made ;  but  it  was  so  much  more  than  they  had  made 
themselves,  that  they  could  hardly  believe  him.  Their  expenses 
for  breakage  and  repairs  had  been  much  greater  than  his.  Not  a 
man,  with  the  same  dimensions  of  kettles,  had  made  as  much  salt 
as  he. 

It  was  formerly  supposed  that  lime  could  not  be  manufactured, 
without  burning  the  kilns  nine  or  ten  days.  A  man  in  the  state 
of  Vermont  became  convinced  that  he  ought  no  longer  to  be  em- 
ployed in  making  the  article,  as  it  kept  him  from  the  house  of  God 
on  the  sabbath.  He  however  tried  the  experiment  of  making 
smaller  kilns,  so  that  he  could  set  his  fires  on  Monday  morning, 
and  finish  them  on  Saturday.  The  kilns  would  cool  on  the  sab- 
bath as  well  as  on  any  other  day,  and  in  less  time  than  larger 
ones.     He  soon  ascertained  that  it  was  best  in  his  case,  and  no 


APPENDIX-  125 

longer  practised  burning  lime  on  that  day.  His  lime,  too,  was  of 
the  first  quality,  and  always  commanded  a  ready  market  and  a 
good  price.  The  writer  of  this  article  was  well  acquainted  with 
the  man,  and  the  facts  in  the  case — and  it  is  supposed  that  coal 
pits  might  be  burned  within  a  week,  if  not  made  too  large. 

A  gentleman  who  resides  in  a  fishing  town,  and  who  has  made 
extensive  inquiries,  remarks  :  "  Those  who  fish  on  the  sabbath  do 
not,  ordinarily,  take  any  more,  during  the  season,  than  those  who 
keep  the  sabbath.  They  do  not  make  more  money,  or  prosper 
better  for  this  world.  They  are  not  more  respectable  or  useful, 
nor  are  their  families."  '•  One  man  followed  fishing  eight  years. 
The  first  four  he  fished  on  the  sabbath.  The  next  four  he  strictly 
kept  the  sabbath,  and  is  satisfied  that  it  was  for  his  advantage  in  a 
temporal  point  of  view."  "  Another  man  testifies  that,  in  the  year 
1827,  he  and  his  men  took  more  fish  by  far  than  any  who  were 
associated  with  them,  though  he  kept  the  sabbath,  and  they  did 
not.  It  was  invariably  his  practice  to  rest  from  Saturday  till 
Monday.  Though  it  was  an  unfavorable  season  for  the  fisheries, 
he  was  greatly  prospered  in  every  way,  and  to  such  an  extent  that 
many  regarded  his  success  as  almost  miraculous." 

A  gentleman  belonging  to  another  fishing  town,  which  sends 
out  more  than  two  hundred  vessels  in  a  year,  writes  as  follows : 
"  I  think  it  may  safely  be  stated  that  those  vessels  which  have 
not  fished  on  the  sabbath  have,  taken  together,  met  with  more  than, 
ordinary  success.  The  vessel  whose  earnings  were  the  highest, 
the  last  year,  and  the  year  before,  was  one  on  board  which  the 
sabbath  was  kept  by  refraining  from  labor,  and  by  religious  wor- 
ship. There  is  one  firm  which  has  had  eight  vessels  in  its  employ 
this  season.  Seven  have  fished  on  the  sabbath,  and  one  has  not. 
That  one  has  earned  seven  hundred  dollars  more  than  the  most 
successful  of  the  six." 

Laboring  animals,  when  employea  but  six  days  in  a  week,  and 
allowed  to  rest  one,  are  more  heahhy  than  they  can  be  when  em- 
ployed during  the  whole  seven.     They  do  more  work  and  live 

longer. 

11* 


126  APPENDIX. 

The  experiment  was  tried  on  a  hundred  and  twenty  horses. 
They  were  employed,  for  years,  seven  days  in  a  week.  But  they 
became  unheahhy,  and  finally  died  so  fast,  that  the  owner  put 
them  on  a  six  days'  arrangement.  After  this  he  was  not  obliged 
to  replenish  them  one-fourth  part  as  often  as  before.  Numerous 
testimonials  might  be  brought  forward  tending  to  establish  these 
facts,  were  there  room  to  admit  them  under  this  head. 

Sir  Matthew  Hale  says :  "  Though  my  hands  and  my  mind 
have  been  as  full  of  secular  business  both  before  and  after  I  was 
judge,  as,  it  may  be,  any  man's  in  England,  yet  I  never  wanted 
time  in  six  days  to  ripen  and  fit  myself  for  the  business  and  em- 
ployments I  had  to  do,  though  I  borrowed  not  one  minute  from 
the  Lord's  day,  to  prepare  for  it  by  study  or  otherwise.  But  on 
the  other  hand,  if  I  had,  at  any  time,  borrowed  from  this  day,  any 
time  for  my  secular  employment,  I  found  it  did  further  me  less 
than  if  I  had  let  it  alone." 

The  late  Dr.  Wilson,  of  Philadelphia,  before  he  became  a 
preacher  of  the  gospel,  was  an  eminent  lawyer  in  the  state  of 
Delaware.  He  was  accustomed,  when  pressed  with  business,  to 
make  out  his  briefs,  and  prepare  for  his  Monday's  pleading,  on 
the  sabbath.  But  he  so  uniformly  failed,  during  the  week,  in 
carrying  out  his  Sunday  plans,  that  it  arrested  his  attention.  As 
a  philosopher,  he  inquired  into  the  cause  of  his  uniform  failure, 
and  came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  might  be,  and  probably  was, 
on  account  of  his  violation  of  the  sabbath,  by  employing  it  in  secu- 
lar business.  He  therefore,  from  that  time,  abandoned  the  prac- 
tice of  doing  any  thing  for  his  clients  on  that  day.  The  difliculty 
ceased.  His  efl^orts  on  Monday  were  as  successful  as  on  other 
days.  Many  others  have  testified  to  similar  facts  in  their  ex- 
perience. 

Mr.  Wickliffe,  the  late  P.  M.  General,  writes :  "  Remember 
the  sabbath  day  to  keep  it  holy,"  is  a  divine  commandment.  1 
pray  you,  my  children,  learn  early  its  importance.  It  was  a  re- 
mark of  my  venerable  mother,  often  made  to  me,  that  "  no  good 
ever  came  of  Sunday-work,"  and  I  have  usually  found  it  to  be  so. 
Even  if  persons  do  not  belong  to  any  church,  a  regular  attendance 


APPENDIX.  127 

upon  divine  service  chastens  the  feelings,  and  better  fits  and  pre- 
pares them  for  companions. 

A  man  who  ridiculed  the  idea  that  God  makes  a  difference  in 
his  providence  between  those  who  yield  visible  obedience  to  his 
laws  and  those  who  do  not,  had  been  engaged,  on  a  certain  sab- 
bath, in  gathering  crops  into  his  barn.  The  next  week  he  had 
occasion  to  take  fire  out  into  his  field  in  order  to  burn  some  brush. 
He  left  it,  as  he  supposed,  safely,  and  went  in  to  dinner.  The 
wind  took  the  fire,  and  carried  it  into  his  barn-yard,  which  was 
filled  with  combustibles,  and,  before  he  was  aware  of  it,  the  flames 
were  bursting  out  of  his  barn.  He  arose  in  amazement,  saw  that 
all  was  lost,  and,  fixing  his  eye  on  the  curling  flames,  stood 
speechless.  Then,  raising  his  finger,  and  pointing  to  the  rising 
column  of  fire,  he  said,  with  solemn  emphasis,  "  That  is  the  finger 
of  God." 

Chancellor  Walworth,  in  his  letter  to  the  National  Sabbath 
Convention,  says :  "  Allow  me  to  refer  to  the  case  of  the  total  abro- 
gation of  the  sabbath  by  revolutionary  France.  That  abrogation 
was  accompanied  by  a  general  corruption  of  morals,  and  even  by 
the  breaking  up  of  the  conjugal  relation,  under  the  law  allowing 
an  unlimited  divorce  at  the  mere  will  of  the  parties,  when,  as  the 
Abbe  Gregoire  states,  upwards  of  twenty  thousand  divorces  were 
registered  in  the  short  space  of  eighteen  months ;  and  those  in  the 
city  of  Paris  were  nearly  equal  to  the  number  of  marriages. 
There  again  the  headless  trunks  of  unnumbered  thousands  of  con- 
tending factions  attested  the  righteous  indignation  of  the  God  of 
the  sabbath,  at  this  national  desecration  and  abrogation  of  his  holy 
day,  and  the  extinction  of  all  religion." 

Dr.  Stuart,  the  late  Bishop  of  Quebec,  was  a  person  who  be- 
lieved in,  and  noticed  the  providence  of  God  in  the  affairs  of  men. 
In  a  sermon,  preached  after  the  close  of  the  late  war,  he  recog- 
nized the  hand  of  God  in  the  defeat  of  their  army  and  fleet  at 
Plattsburgh, — because  they  came  out  to  engage  in  battle  with  the 
Americans  on  the  sabbath. 

When  the  Hartford  and  New-Haven  Rail-Road  first  went  into 
operation,  the  superintendent  and  directors  were  determined  to 


128  APPENDIX. 

carry  freight  on  the  sabbath,  notwithstanding  many  of  the  stock- 
holders remonstrated  against  it.  It  is  a  fact,  that  soon  after  they 
commenced,  about  a  thousand  dollars  worth  of  cotton  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire  from  the  locomotive,  while  running  the  cars  on  the 
sabbath. 

Dr.  Dwight  observes :  "  To  this  institution  we  owe  far  the 
greater  part  of  the  spiritual  blessings  which  we  enjoy ;  and  in  a 
high  sense  we  owe  them  all.  But  for  this  day,  we  should  neither 
have  sought,  nor  secured,  eternal  life :  for  where  no  sabbath  is, 
there  is  no  religion.  But  for  this  day,  earthly  things  would  have 
engrossed  all  our  thoughts.  Honor,  wealth,  and  pleasure,  are  the 
real  sirens  which  charm  mankind  to  shipwreck  and  death.  To 
their  songs  the  ear  of  man  is  by  nature  attuned,  and  the  heart 
beats  in  regular  response.  But  for  this  day,  the  world,  as  a  canker, 
would  rust,  corrupt,  and  consume  all  the  disposition  to  piety,  and 
all  the  hopes  of  heaven.  The  soul  would  be  benumbed.  Reli- 
gion would  die.  God  would  be  forgotten.  The  death  of  Christ 
would  be  vain.  Mankind  would  cease  to  be  saved  ;  and  heaven 
would  fail  of  her  destined  inhabitants.  How  desolate  the  prospect ! 
How  strongly  would  this  world  resemble  the  regions  of  final 
despair ;  where  no  sabbath^  diawns ;  where  no  prayers  nor  praises 
ascend ;  no  sermons  proclaim  pardon  and  peace  to  sinners ;  the 
voice  of  mercy  never  sounds ;  and  the  smiles  of  forgiving,  redeem- 
ing and  sanctifying  love  never  illumine  the  dreary  valley  of  the 
shadow  of  death." 

"  The  sabbath  is  a  rest  from  sin,  business,  and  pleasure ;  a  day 
in  which  God  is  worshipped,  divine  knowledge  improved,  and 
holiness  attained  and  increased ;  a  day  in  which  saints  dehght- 
fully  commune,  and  joyfully  celebrate  the  wonders  of  creation,  and 
the  sublimer  wonders  of  redemption.  On  the  sabbath  God  is  pecu- 
liarly present,  reconciled,  forgiving,  and  sanctifj^ing ;  and  the 
Spirit  of  truth  eminently  communicates  comfortable  evidence  of 
divine  love,  whispers  peace,  and  inspires  joy.  The  sabbath  is, 
therefore,  the  day  of  hope  and  consolation,  of  enjoyment  and  tri- 
umph ;  the  foretaste  of  heaven ;  the  entrance  to  the  glorious 
assembly  of  the  blessed." 


